Wishing Upon A Black Star
by Cloud Auditore Fair
Summary: Bella's very existence destroys Rosalie's equilibrium, and it doesn't seem like she can escape. Trust her, she's tried. So maybe now all she can do is give way to gravity.
1. It's A Mistake

**A/N:** Years ago, I swore to myself I'd never write Twilight fanfiction. Well, here we are. As my friend said, this ship has sailed too far for me to stop it. So here's an introductory chapter.

* * *

Rosalie's fingers drummed on the table as she stared at a wall of the cafeteria.

One, two, three, four, five.

Stop.

One, two, three, four, five.

Stop.

One, two—

"You okay, Rose?"

Her finger hovered over the table.

"Your eyes are dark." Emmett shifted and his hands moved as though he wanted to break something to relax. "You just went to hunt yesterday. Alone. We haven't… It's been a while since," he paused, shifting again, "I've only seen you tap your fingers once before, Angel." His tone at the end was almost desperate. Almost, in the way people already defeated know not to seek hope.

Her eyes closed.

"Remember to breathe," Jasper whispered across the table.

She didn't care, knew she wouldn't care if she tried. The trivial chatter of the students felt too loud, too clear, too close. Rosalie couldn't tell if the distinct lack of Edward's voice annoyed her more or less than it actually being there, saying stupid things to "his" human. Her lip curled, but she controlled the urge to hiss.

The sound of Emmett's chair scraping the floor signaled his departure.

Disgust shot through her anew, and the self-loathing pressed against the wall she'd constructed so carefully within herself. Inevitable instinct slammed on the other side, and Rosalie felt parts of her pull in far too many directions.

She was a mess.

Jasper remained the only positive of the situation, lingering on the fringes of her emotion, unable to stay away in his concern but respecting her enough to not interfere.

It was definitely the only positive, she noted, as she drowned in the chaos within her. Logic and desire screamed in the depths of her, leaving only a pretense of composure she couldn't even maintain.

—Three, four, five.

Stop.

Edward lied to the girl, doing all he could to judge her and act accordingly since he couldn't hear her thoughts. Play a victim card. Rosalie had never seen him so broody and tortured, and he was _quite_ a dramatic person. He acted for her, for his singer, acted as though there was a divide between person and vampire, as if he could divorce himself from his nature, or deny it. Some sick beauty and the beast twist.

As if pressing for a deep relationship wasn't enough, when they hadn't even built a solid friendship to begin with, he always just dropped her and suddenly went hunting.

One, two, three, four, five.

Stop.

It didn't even seem like the girl knew what she wanted with him. She could just be caught up in the vampire card Edward played beautifully. It wasn't like he gave her time to even consider her emotions. No, his charm wouldn't seem so charming if he left her to her own devices.

One, two—

"Do it."

At last, Rosalie opened her eyes, almost imperceptibly cocking her head at Alice.

A grin nearly split the short vampire's face.

"But?"

"Do it."

She recognized the excited gleam in Alice's eyes. She glanced where a girl sat slightly away from her "friends."

—Three, four, five.

Alice covered her hand. "It'll work out."

"There's too many uncertainties for you to know that."

"I know you can't just sit here. Emmett will forgive you."

"It's stupid and dangerous for us. Did I mention it was stupid and pointless? Because it is. A passing nothing, nothing at all."

Jasper gawked at her for half a second, as if he might say something about what he felt from her, but he only took to spinning a pen.

"I love Edward, but he's an idiot." Alice squeezed her hand. "Rose, I love you."

"But?"

"But you have to stop being afraid for her."

"I'm not afraid."

Jasper snorted.

Her gaze flicked to him. "Shut up, brother."

Alice smiled, absolutely exuding encouragement from her small frame.

Rosalie glanced over again. "She thinks I hate her."

"Semantics." The short vampire waved her free hand. "Love, hate, cookies. What's the difference?"

She almost smiled.

Jasper halfway nodded to her.

Rosalie gave Alice's hand the slightest squeeze before she stood. She felt half the students staring at her like some kind of statue coming to life as she pushed in her chair, mentally preparing herself.

It wasn't her intention to walk like a model, but between the attention and her nerves, she couldn't stop herself. Not very approachable, at all.

The pockets of silence and staring students finally dawned on Bella and she looked up from her book, pulling out her earbuds.

Rosalie absently wondered if she was even breathing.

She could still turn and go anywhere else. For every student that got curious, another lost interest, and she could simply go to the library.

Or another state.

Bella turned around and looked straight into her eyes. She frowned.

A distinct urge to investigate the weather of another continent came over her, but instead Rosalie stopped directly in front of Bella and inclined her head slightly. She immediately regretted the reflexive, refined tone coming out of her mouth. "Would you care to join me outside, Isabella?"

She stood almost instantly, hitting her hip on the table without fail, and stumbled a little extracting herself from between the table and the bench, finger still marking her progress in her book.

If Rosalie had any of her usual composure, she would've rolled her eyes. However, she barely held onto the pretense of it, so she merely followed after Bella's brisk pace out the doors.

The girl checked the sky before walking toward a beat up table shadowed by the school building and sitting atop it. "Not exactly overcast, but it's fine, right?"

Rosalie nodded, approaching.

Bella cursed, looking at her page. She shut the book and set it aside. Her fingers held the edge of the table, her leg bounced on the bench.

Rosalie watched every motion, every muscle, wondered how pure sunlight looked on Bella's hair.

"Either you're super pissed off at me or wanna eat me or," she trailed off, rubbing her chin with a knuckle. "Maybe some combination of the two."

The blonde blinked.

"It's not like you need anything from me."

She almost twitched. It reminded Rosalie when words used to cut her, and the girl hadn't even said anything rude. The feeling calmed the wild state within her, but only slightly. "Why would I eat you?"

"Your eyes are blacker than hell."

She sighed. She really was a mess.

"Plus you hate my guts, sooooo," Bella shrugged.

Rosalie practically blurred onto the table just out of arm's reach of Bella, crossing her long legs and brushing lint off her jeans. A golden veil of perfect hair hid the smallest smile.

"Fuck! What if that dude was looking?"

She listened to Bella's raging heart for a moment. "I'm surprised you didn't fall off the table and break your wrist."

"I'm not _that_ bad. My thinking is I might die already and I doubt you'd be the one to snap and be like 'Mmm, tasty human.'"

She snorted lightly. The girl definitely had some black humor. "I can see why he performs these idiotic stunts in front of you," Rosalie said, looking up but not making eye contact, "It's a bit thrilling. You put it so crudely, but what makes you think I won't attack you, Isabella?"

She narrowed her eyes, something like suspicion dwelling in them. "What exactly is thrilling about it?"

Rosalie finally looked at her. She shrugged a shoulder carelessly.

Bella shuddered faintly. "Uhm, you're perfect. I bet you're a fucking genius. You have looks I'm sure people literally kill for." Bella sighed irritably, running a hand through her hair. "Starting Trojan wars and shit." She waved a hand in the vampire's direction, irritation clear on her face. "You're great at everything. You're too composed and graceful to waste your time on me."

The foundation of Rosalie's wall gave out. She felt her precise and agonized labors crumble within her, brick by brick. Her features softened, and she only just refrained from reaching out.

Bella sighed again. "I'm the exact opposite of you." In the enduring silence, she glanced at the vampire. She shifted, obviously uncomfortable, and resolutely stared elsewhere. "Do you, uh, do," she made a noise as though annoyed with herself. "Do you do it on purpose? To piss me off?"

A frown creased Rosalie's brow and she uncrossed her legs. "Do what?"

"You, uhm," she jerked her shoulders in a shrug and gestured pointlessly. "You… uh." She made the noise again and whispered to herself, though Rosalie heard it clear as anything, "Really, Swan?"

Rosalie leaned forward, only partially trying to catch her eye. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, why?" Bella turned her head, flinching at the woman's proximity. She stared into eyes as dark as night, her wildly bouncing leg slowing to a stop.

"Your heart nearly sounds as though it's raging against the dying of the light."

A blush tinted Bella's face and she leaned back, away from eyes threatening to swallow her. "Well," Bella said dumbly. She ran a hand through her hair again and moved her book a little.

"What might I be doing on purpose?" Rosalie felt wild inside, and the spike in Bella's heart rate did not deter it at all. She had almost purred the words, and should probably stop while she was ahead, but the very sound of Bella's blood pumping erratically was… exquisite.

Bella halfway glared at her before looking away once more. "You smell like the most beautiful roses. Like I'll have to fucking _die_ to smell such pure, perfect examples of them anywhere else. Like, like," she chewed her cheek, "Like a moonlit clearing surrounded by roses and Amy Lee singing in the background."

Rosalie stared.

"It pisses me off," Bella said quietly, "A lot."

She watched the girl fiddle with her book, an odd expression on Bella's face, as if troubled. For the first time in her life, Rosalie didn't know what to say, not even a general idea or concept registering in her mind as possible to articulate. She'd long ago abandoned perfumes and Emmett never once said she had such a scent. Finally, her lips moved. "Truly?"

Bella looked at her, confused. "Well, yeah." She raised her hand and dropped it with a curse.

Rosalie tilted her head.

"You seem sick," Bella explained.

She arched an eyebrow a little, then realization came over her with a tiny smile, one Bella couldn't detect. Poor girl was going to check her temperature.

Bella cleared her throat. "So are you dying or what?"

"Can we die if we do not truly exist?"

Brown eyes rolled. "Oookay, Aristotle. I'll go back to studying now. I don't know if this was more or less fun than your rude ass comments, but it's been fun all the same."

She moved to stand, but Rosalie was suddenly in front of her, face unreadable.

Bella raised her eyebrows.

"Do you enjoy Lovecraft's work?"

She blinked, glancing at the library book in her hand. "Uh, yeah. I lost my copy of his complete stuff moving here and the bookstore here is terrible so I'm stuck with this even though," she stopped, sighing, "Not like you care, Ice Queen. Go eat Mike or something as ugly."

Rosalie watched her go.

* * *

 **A/N:** That could've been shit but I don't think it is? Then again I feel insane lately and like I don't know how to English. If anyone's here from my normal things and thinking "Hey, Cloud, what the hell?" well I, again, feel insane. Going to have updates everywhere.

More on topic, this is a one shot that got away from me, and will be a chill, not too long story that probably jumps through time instead of going straight through every thing (Yes it will still be chronological, but like highlights). I'd rather put that effort into the large story concept I have for them. Because as much as I tried not to, I _fucking love Rosalie and Bella._

Anyway, I hope whoever clicked on this enjoyed it.


	2. To Behold the Horizon

**A/N:** I'm honestly surprised by how much traction this has. Thanks for coming along for the ride. I've had a hard couple weeks, so I just sat down with this. Updates will either be sooner than this or simply longer.

* * *

Alice swung open Rosalie's door, knocking on the frame. "You're making Jasper sick."

"Jasper makes me sick," Rosalie muttered.

The short vampire giggled and stepped in, closing the door. She shook her head as she stared at the most elegant person she'd ever met. "Soooooo," she said, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

Rosalie made an indistinct noise from her bed, face in a pillow. Instead of being perfectly set, the bedspread was on the floor, a mess of blues, and one of the red pillows had knocked some things off the dresser.

Alice plopped down beside her and crossed her legs. After a moment, she poked Rosalie's shoulder blade. "You've been lying here for hours and hours and hours. I think a new century started."

"Time?"

"Noon, Saturday."

"Twenty-two hours."

Alice shuddered. "I don't know how you did that. So, what, you just ran from school and dove face-first into bed and called it a day?"

Rosalie made another noise.

"I think your blouse is torn."

The blonde barely shrugged her shoulders.

"Gosh, you're making _me_ sick." Alice sighed and patted her sister's back. "It's not actually torn. But come on, it wasn't _that_ bad. Yeah, you started blurting things and totally lost your cool, but who doesn't around their crush?"

Rosalie sat up slowly, not looking at Alice. "I do not care about her. And I most certainly do not have a 'crush' on the stupid human."

"Ooooh, so she's a stupid human now?"

"She's always been a stupid human."

"Okay," Alice said, purposely squinting at Rosalie, "So why are your eyes black? Why'd you lose your cool? And why, why did you lie in bed for a day?"

Rosalie's shoulders slumped, just a little. She took a deep breath and stared out the window.

"You love Bella."

Her lip curled, disgust in her eyes.

Alice poked her. "You doooooo. You love Bellaaaa," she said in a singsong voice.

"Even if you were remotely correct, I couldn't possibly love her yet."

"Because you need to spend more time with her and get to know her better."

"Of course. Not just anything can be a proper match."

"So what's the harm?" Alice held up a finger, cutting off Rosalie's comeback. "Edward will deal with it. Emmett knew you never felt he was your mate."

"That doesn't make it butterflies and kittens. She's dangerous for us."

Alice bristled, straightening her back. An almost imperceptible frown had worked its way onto her face. "Bella would never hurt us."

Rosalie touched her knee. "I didn't mean it as a slight. I forget you already consider her your best friend."

"She's so _difficult_ about makeovers," Alice pouted.

A smile played on Rosalie's face. "You haven't even spent time with her yet."

"No, because Edward is so prissy and practically keeping her hostage."

"You smiled."

Alice's face immediately became blank. "No I didn't."

Rosalie's eyes narrowed. "You're up to something."

"Anyway," Alice waved her hand, "Bella won't tell anyone."

"Do we just forget about the Volturi? We risk everything for such selfish foolishness?"

Alice squeezed her hands. "I'm not saying it will be easy, but I know it's worth it."

Silence stretched, and Alice gave a rare show of the depths of her patience as she let Rosalie think. Ten minutes went by before Alice spoke. "Hey, Rose?

She blinked at Alice.

"It's not selfish to be happy."

After some time, Rosalie looked at their hands and mumbled, just loud enough for Alice to hear, "She makes me feel...I don't know."

Alice laughed, patting her hands. "I know."

"Thank you, Alice."

"I'm sure Jasper is saying the same thing. Now, I have to go."

A perfect, golden eyebrow rose as she watched Alice breeze to the door.

Alice winked.

Rosalie shook her head and threw herself down on the bed again, this time staring at the ceiling. It was strange, to think freely, privately. She stood, giving in to a sudden whim, and glanced out the window, into the trees. In a moment, she was passing through them, and she slowed to a walk. Her dark eyes traveled up the mountain, old words coming to her lips. "But for bright stars, the night must be dark."

* * *

Alice tapped her foot, staring intently at the door of the Swans' home. She knocked again, shaking the wood a little with her force. She heard a snore and rolled her eyes. Glancing around for passerby, she circled the house and jumped up to a sad, plain window on the second story, easily sliding in. Alice giggled freely at the sight of Bella.

The girl was a mess of limbs, tangled in a sheet on the bed, hair everywhere. Black long sleeve shirt and Invader Zim shorts. With a smile, Alice made a mental note about those. Her and Emmett would get along great later. Alice also noted the small amount of drool on the pillow for later blackmail. She bounced over to Bella's side. It was tempting to watch her sleep, but, really, who had the patience for that?

"Anybody in there?" Alice knocked on her skull.

Sleepily, slowly, Bella's eyes began to flutter.

Alice crouched to her level and knocked again.

Bella's eyes opened, and before Alice could smile, the girl screamed.

A pout formed on Alice's face as she watched Bella's startled flailing make her tumble off the bed. She straightened and crossed her arms. "I'm not that ugly."

Bella's voice drifted up from the floor. "My heart."

"You're fine," Alice said grumpily.

A hand grasped the bed and Bella pulled herself up to her knees. With a hand over her heart, she stared at Alice. "You. Almost gave. Me. A. Fucking. Heart attack."

"Not even close. Your heart sounds fine. That isn't how you're supposed to greet your best friend."

They stared at each other, Bella clutching her chest and Alice incessantly tapping her foot.

Finally, Bella stood, jerking her thumb. "I'm going to pee, and we can circle back to that. Cool?"

"Cool."

Alice sat on the bed and crossed her legs. She fought a smile when she heard a bump and a curse.

After a few minutes, Bella poked her head into the room. "I'm starving. Come on."

Alice followed her down the stairs. "Is it because you were in a coma, ignoring your best friend?"

Bella glanced over her shoulder as she reached into the cupboard. "Your super power is seeing the future, right?"

Alice looked around the kitchen in silence. It felt so empty, from its color to the slightly peeling wallpaper in the corner. The kind of place that was clean because no one really used it.

"Shit."

"Hmm?" Alice stared at her back.

Bella turned and leaned against the counter, blowing on her coffee in a mug. "I forgot," she mumbled, slight annoyance in her tone.

Alice cocked her head, staring at Bella for a full few seconds before realization hit her. She leaned around the girl and, sure enough, there was a second mug, steaming with black liquid.

Alarm came over Bella's features as a grin split the small vampire's face. She clapped her hands together and bounced. Then, as quickly as it came, it was gone, replaced by a pout.

Bella snorted and set down her mug, staring at the small, pouty bundle of joy taking up the middle of her kitchen, as if they were having a fight. "I hate people."

Alice looked at her.

"People are terrible, it's in our nature. I can't stand those kids at school, but murder is illegal. Even then," Bella's gaze dropped a moment, as if she was remembering something, "I love individuals, because they stand out. And I love few people."

"I can understand—"

"Wait, wait. Not done." She smiled a little at Alice's pout. "Man, that's a weapon, you have to stop doing that."

Alice crossed her arms, stared at the table.

"So, with that in mind, it takes a lot for me to consider someone a friend."

"Do you consider Edward a friend?" Alice asked suddenly.

"I had a pet rock more invested in how I actually feel than him."

Alice almost smiled. "You're a meanie. You had a pet rock?"

Bella rubbed her chin, fighting off a grin. "You're bubbly and full of life, aren't you?"

Alice's brow furrowed as she thought about it.

"That's a yes. I bet you're like a grenade of fucking glitter."

An offended noise squeaked out of Alice as her hand flew to her chest. "I am a pleasure to be around."

Bella sipped her coffee. "A pleasure that broke into my house and woke me up even though we've only really met in passing." Alice's shoulders fell, just barely, and if Bella wasn't staring, she would've missed it. Bella cleared her throat, not liking the way her heart felt heavy.

A sharp, chirping tone repeated itself upstairs.

When Alice looked at her, Bella shrugged. "Edward's calling me."

"Are you going to get it?"

"Nope."

Alice bit her lip. "Does he often call you?"

"First time. He's probably fussy because he texted me this morning and I was busy. I—"

"Sleeping is being busy?"

"Sleeping is serious business," Bella huffed. "I still don't like that he bought me a phone."

"He _bought_ you a phone?"

"Yep."

The tone sounded again.

"He'll come blazing here if you don't answer him."

"Fuck him, I'm tired of him."

Alice stared wordlessly.

"I've been trying to get him to calm down and I don't like that he does that charm thing on me. I haven't figured, well, I hadn't figured out how to talk to any of you, or if it was okay."

"You wanted to talk to us?"

"Duh! Dude, you're a _vampire._ A vampire is standing in my kitchen."

"So," Alice said, "You only care about that."

"No. There's just something about you guys. If it was just about vampires, Ward would've sent me running because he is just _so_ disappointing. He's worse than Lestat in Interview."

"Ward?" Alice asked, choosing to comment on Bella's reading habits later.

"He doesn't like that I call him that. It annoys him," Bella admitted.

Again, the phone went off.

"You should really get that."

Bella quirked an eyebrow.

"Well… why didn't you just come up and say hi?"

She snorted. "Ice Queen hates me and I'm boring anyway."

Alice rolled her eyes. "You're far from boring if you're choosing to have Edward come barreling back from his hunting trip."

Bella stepped closer, running a hand through her hair. "Yeah, well, I'm trying to apologize to my best friend. She's pouty."

Alice's face softened and her eyes began to shine.

"So, super cute best friend, I am sorry for not greeting you properly this morning."

The small vampire bit her lip. "It's the afternoon. You don't have to pretend I'm not weird. Between Jasper and Emmett and everyone, I forget I'm totally crazy. Insane." She trailed off in a whisper.

Heart twisting, Bella held out her hands. "Well, you're my brand of crazy."

"I'm a grenade of glitter that makes you sick. I broke into your house."

"Hey," Bella said softly. "Best friends come through windows. Doors are for chumps. So you better believe if I'm ever allowed over, I'm coming in through your window and profusely apologizing to your mom."

Alice smiled.

Bella wiggled her fingers. "We have to catch up to future us and do super best friend things."

She accepted the brunette's outstretched hands. "Why is it so hard to get you to agree to a makeover?"

Bella groaned.

"Oh, come on!" She swung their hands between them, bouncing. "It'll be fun! Stop being so grumpy."

"I must grump to survive," Bella said seriously.

Alice giggled. "I'm not certain that's a verb."

"It is, I checked. It's my favorite verb."

"Nerd."

Bella rolled her eyes. "Do you accept my apology, best friend?"

"I do, best friend."

"Stop bouncing. My face hurts from smiling."

"You've been smiling for thirty seconds!"

"Cheeks burning off my face."

Alice's eyes narrowed. "You don't smile a lot, do you?"

"Nope, I am a walking heartache." She watched the vampire frown. "Hey, Alice?"

"Hmm?"

"You lied." Bella smirked at her confusion. "You said you weren't that ugly. You're not at all ugly, you're gorgeous."

Alice beamed and slammed into her for a hug. "Belly Bells."

Bella returned the hug gently, simply enjoying the tight embrace and light feeling in her chest. She struggled to force the smile off her face for fear of her face getting stuck. Then Alice's arms pressed harder against her ribs and she made a strangled noise, desperately patting the vampire's back.

She practically dropped Bella. "Sorry, sorry. Are you okay? Why didn't you say something earlier? I must've been squeezing too hard to begin with."

As Bella straightened and breathed deeply, her back cracked loudly. Seeing the fear and concern radiating off Alice, she shrugged awkwardly and ran a hand through her hair. "I just realized no one's hugged me in a year, so I guess it was just nice, regardless of," she paused at Alice's look of horror, "Uhm, I guess it was nice regardless of not really being able to breathe."

Alice nearly crushed her in another hug.

* * *

 **A/N:** Phase 1 of Alice's plan is complete. Silly vampire. I love her. (Man, her sadness just crushes me.) I have a better idea of where I'm going with this, and I'm hating myself for it because it's more than I intended.

Anyway, hope you liked it. See you next time.


	3. Enter Gravity

**A/N:** Oops. My hand slipped. So, a quick update.

* * *

"So," Bella said after swallowing some eggs, "what do you want to do?"

Alice spun, blinking at her. "Hmm?"

Bella pointed her fork from the table. "That wallpaper is pissing you off, isn't it?"

The vampire grimaced.

"I asked what you wanna do."

"Oh." Her voice echoed lightly, like tinkering bells in the distance.

"Oh?"

Alice laced her fingers together and smiled, bouncing.

"You had absolutely no activity planned, did you?"

"I like to be surprised." Alice shrugged. "I couldn't know if you'd want to be around me."

"But best friends."

Seeing Bella's confusion, as if their friendship left no room for argument, Alice offered her a quick smile. "That doesn't mean you'd want to be my friend yet. It could be a year from now, or five minutes."

Bella set her fork on her empty plate, staring at it. "So why come?"

"Honestly? I couldn't wait any longer."

"Well, good." Bella stood, cleaning up after herself. "I was close to strangling Ward or myself. Whichever came first. Maybe I should just hit him with a car."

Alice rolled her eyes, taking the plate from Bella's hands to dry it. "Then you'll just need a new car."

"How long till he gets here anyway?"

"Depends on how far out he went."

"You'd think he'd call you and ask if you had any visions or to come and, I don't know, find my corpse or something."

"Wow, you _are_ dark."

Bella huffed. "And you're blinding. That's why we're friends."

"Edward can be…" She chewed her cheek, no doubt trying to think of a good way to describe her brother.

"Stupid?"

Alice nodded once with a sigh.

"Welp, might as well have fun. I'll get dressed and we can go a place. Some place. Is there even a place to go in Forks? I've been here like four months and it seems emptier than my fish tank." A giggle answered her and Bella rolled her eyes, starting for the stairs.

"You don't have a fish tank."

"Exactly."

"I think I know a place you might enjoy. One where Edward won't come barreling at you."

"Sounds perfect. Uhm, Alice?"

"Yes, Bella?" She stopped on the third step, smiling up at the girl.

"I'll need some time before I change clothes in front of you. And I don't think I'd be naked in front of you." She pointed at her shorts.

Alice pouted.

"Hey! No, you stop that." Bella waved a finger. "Put that away. This is completely justified."

The vampire crossed her arms. "Fine."

"I won't be long."

"Bella?"

"Yes?" Her voice had hit some low pitches as she stood on her toes, stretching. After a second, she glanced at the quiet vampire. "You okay?"

Alice stopped staring at the wall and affected a smile. "I was just wondering."

Bella waited.

"I—Why are you just okay with this?"

A slow smile came over Bella. She went down the stairs, stopping one above Alice, and smiled further at the curious stare she received. She ruffled Alice's already messy hair and turned around, as if that solved the matter. "I'll be just a minute."

* * *

At this point, Rosalie's blue blouse was, in fact, torn. A few inches of skin showed at her side. Her boots were a total loss, covered in mud that had splashed up her right leg. The entire outfit was simply not Rosalie. And yet it was on her, and without her concern as she sat atop a large rock far up the mountain. The trees weren't as dense here, but she reveled in their smell, just taking a moment. She'd never experienced such things as a human.

She breathed in deeply, taking in the trees, the mix of dirt and mud, the faint water in the air, even the rock she sat on. She saw a hundred colors in the sky just above her and ached for night to come. Ached for the stars.

She closed her eyes.

Then she heard something, faint, rushing through the forest below at a familiar speed. _Toward_ Forks. Rosalie froze, straining her ears to discern how many vampires it could be, and struck by the possibilities for any to be running. It had to be a maximum of two, though she felt mostly certain there was only one. She couldn't smell them from up here.

Without hesitating, Rosalie launched off her perch, clear over the trees and down the mountain. The air whistled. It had been absolutely unnecessary, and as much of a giveaway as it wasn't, but it thrilled her as she fell toward the earth. It was possible the vampire heard her at first and if they'd stopped to listen for anything further, they wouldn't hear her falling. And few thought to look up.

Rosalie landed on a tree's limb, making it sway, and she felt alive in her instinct. Frozen, she listened. Only the sounds of the forest met her ears. As she waited, a light breeze reached her, and she cocked her head, confused.

Movement caught her eye and, sure enough, a vampire was tearing through the trees, weaving between them effortlessly and, in some cases, simply breaking through branches with their body. A pang of horror echoed within her. The vampire was frenzied, lost to his nature and absent of sense. She should've realized it when he didn't wait long enough to make sure he was alone before running again.

It troubled her the most that he didn't notice her first.

The blonde leapt from tree to tree down to the base of the mountain, purpose defining her movements. She pushed her speed to its limits, foregoing perfect precision in her landings for its sake. A branch broke across her body and her blouse tore along the sleeve, but it barely registered in her mind.

He must've at last become aware of her, because he growled viciously in warning.

As she closed in on him, finally able to see his whole body, he sped up. He never even looked back.

An amount of rage surfaced within her. Rage for him, for herself, for the very fact she had this pretense of life. For being a vampire, for his refusal of being one.

Her beautiful features twisted as the once carefully constructed walls around a precious tenet of her life shattered. She tore through the trees faster, eyes nearly as dark as a night decades ago. Hunger burned inside of her, screamed in her instincts, but she didn't care.

It would be so easy to just surrender to her nature absolutely. Hunt, destroy. So easy.

Natural.

She flipped through the air, snarling when the vampire finally turned.

They collided like thunder.

Their combined momentum gouged through the ground and two trees fell before they slowed.

Rosalie twisted, flinging him through the air and stopping on her feet in the same motion.

A tree broke as his back slammed into it. In just a moment, he hurtled through the ruins of its branches toward her, fangs bared.

For all his instincts, she still had her sense. Even then, Rosalie barely sidestepped in time to kick him.

He hit the ground and launched at her again with blinding quickness.

She snarled, and they collided again, crashing into the base of a tree. She felt his elbow hit her ribs. Again, his elbow connected, but she ignored his attack, ignored her instincts. Her side cracked under his elbow and she hissed, jerking up hard as she successfully got him in a headlock.

His neck threatened to crack.

He froze.

"I'll tear your head off." Her voice was barely audible, even to herself. An enraged whisper uncharacteristic to her, no doubt tainted by her nature. "Where is your sense, Edward?"

He didn't speak or try to extricate himself from her grip, but, as the seconds gave way to a minute, she felt his body relax as he came back to himself. Still, she didn't ease her grip. She knew he was reading her thoughts.

Why he lost his mind.

Why he didn't call one of them.

Why he was endangering _her_ if he really loved her as he claimed.

The sound of running stopped as Esme and Jasper appeared in front of them.

As a look of pain took over Jasper's concerned expression, Rosalie ached to apologize to him for her effect on him, but couldn't find it in herself to speak. He touched Esme's arm and, for a fraction of a second, met Rosalie's eyes. Then he ran, unable to stand the intensity of his sister's emotions.

Esme's soft features twisted into heartache as she stepped closer to the two she considered children. She met Rosalie's eyes and her shoulders sagged a little in sadness. "What happened?"

Edward flinched, and they both knew it to be his shame causing it. He refused Esme's gaze. "Bella," he stopped, slumping in Rosalie's hold. "Bella hasn't answered me at all today and I—I convinced myself she was in mortal danger and—"

"And you couldn't stop thinking about your singer," Esme finished quietly.

He nodded.

Esme prompted him quietly, disappointment in her tone. "And?"

"And I ran here. Stupidly. And." His head jerked to the side as if pained. Edward's voice fell. "And I didn't stop for Rosalie. She tried to stop me and I attacked her."

Esme closed her eyes, taking a deep, unnecessary breath. "Rosalie. Let him go. Edward, don't come home until you've fed, and don't you dare go to Bella. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Esme. I… I understand."

Against her own will, Rosalie slowly released her hold on him. Edward looked back at her, but her eyes were on the ground.

He ran.

"Rose."

She felt Esme's fingers gently graze her arm and stiffened.

"Rose, please look at me."

She did, and the sad, motherly love staring back at her tore her apart inside.

Esme brushed some stray hair from Rosalie's eyes and laid a hand on her cheek. "You're beautiful, you know."

Rosalie's gaze fell, and her eyes burned with the beginning of tears she couldn't shed. She clenched her jaw. Words were so ready to spill from her lips, but she didn't want to hurt Esme's feelings. This vampire who was somehow the walking embodiment of compassion, this vampire who honestly loved her like a mother and believed the world of her with no real justification for it. Rosalie's shoulders started to shake.

Esme gathered her in her arms in an instant, rubbing her back and making soothing sounds all the while. "You're no monster. You never were and never will be. Please don't leave us because of Edward's foolishness. It's bad enough waiting for Emmett to have time to himself."

The blonde froze.

"You think I don't know you've thought about leaving?"

Rosalie didn't leave the crook of Esme's shoulder. Instead, she stared vacantly at one of the trees that fell during her scuffle with Edward. "Did Alice say something?"

"No." Esme smoothed her hair. "I may not have given birth to you, but I can read you as if I did. You didn't just get distant with Emmett, sweetheart. You even stopped agreeing to our picnics. Besides, I know you. I know the way you carry yourself when you're struggling inside."

"Everyone thinks me the most beautiful, usually."

Knowingly, Esme didn't speak yet.

"But," Rosalie said, a small, bitter laugh escaping her, "There's nothing like that inside of me."

The older vampire squeezed her.

Rosalie hissed in pain and immediately regretted it when arms abruptly left her. Slowly, she looked into the horror within Esme's eyes. "I don't think he even noticed."

"Rose."

She sighed, looking away as she unbuttoned her blouse. When Esme gasped, Rosalie winced. A part of her still hated that the woman's emotions mattered more than her own, or any pain she could feel.

As if her touch would shatter Rosalie, Esme's fingertips brushed against the spider web cracking on her side.

Rosalie looked up, and instinctually recoiled. She'd never seen Esme's eyes go black, and the vampire wasn't breathing.

Esme's gaze traveled up, likely caught by Rosalie's movement, and blinked at her.

The blank expression almost made the blonde shudder. She buttoned her shirt quickly. "It's alright."

"I could've lost you."

For Rosalie, that didn't mean anything. For her, it would be freedom from the chains being a vampire placed on her. "It's fine."

"Losing you isn't fine!"

Rosalie glanced at Esme's tight grip on her wrist, stared into the shining eyes in front of her. "I love you too, Esme."

"It isn't fine," she said, quieter this time. "I could've lost you, or you could've killed him and I would've lost you for that. If you hadn't been here, I don't even know what I would've lost."

Rosalie placed her hand over Esme's.

"He's the fastest."

Rosalie raised her eyebrows a little, doing her best not to react to Esme's dead tone.

"He's the fastest, and I imagine faster when he forgets his sense. How did you catch up to him? Overpower him?"

Ringing filled the air.

Rosalie's eyes flicked to Esme's pocket. When she didn't move, Rosalie spoke. "Alice is calling."

Esme closed her eyes, answering her phone. "Yes?"

"Alice's mom? Mrs. Cullen?"

Rosalie stopped breathing at the shrill voice that was undeniably Bella's and stared intently at the phone.

Esme frowned at Rosalie. "What's going on?"

"You tell me!" Honking came through the line.

"What do you mean? Where's Alice?"

"Sorry in advance! Shit. What the hell is happening?"

"That's my horn," Rosalie said quietly. "She's driving my car."

Esme glanced at her. "Isabella, where is Alice?"

"With me. She almost fucking killed us. Well, almost killed me. Because, you know, I'm a stupid fucking human and shit."

"What?" Esme barely managed not to yell.

Rosalie shifted her weight, fighting the need to run to them like Edward had tried to do. She jerked her head, and Esme nodded.

Esme set the pace for their run so that Bella could still hear her talk. "What happened?"

"She was driving from a store and started having a vision, I guess? No one told me she just fucking freezes up like she's not here! We almost drove into a truck going like sixty! Hit my head so fucking hard climbing on top of her and prying her hands off the steering wheel." More honking sounded in the background. "Where am I going? Fuck, Alice looks fucking mortified now. She doesn't always do that, does she? I did not sleep enough for this."

Esme and Rosalie shared a look. "Go home. We'll be there within ten minutes."

"'Kay. Bye. Sorry, Alice's mom."

They breezed past their home with a quick whisper for Jasper to join them and continued, knowing he would catch up.

Instinct and fear swirled within her, and Rosalie desperately glanced at Esme.

They continued to run in sync for a moment, staring at each other, and Esme nodded. "Don't forget, a rose has thorns."

A genuine smile flashed across her face before she ran faster, blurring through the trees. As she closed the distance to the Swan residence, something clicked in her mind as if it'd been obvious this whole time, something her heart already knew.

She couldn't leave if she wanted to.

The vampire bounded into the Swans' backyard and around the house. She stopped, touching the side of the house and calming herself. Her red BMW sat in the driveway, Alice frozen in the driver's seat with an undeniably broken expression. Rosalie ignored the feeling that flared inside of her when she saw Bella. The girl was kneeling beside Alice's side of the car, talking way too fast about a time she fell in a movie theater.

"—So, you know me, I take down three people and a small child and the mom is screaming at me like I was there to assassinate her child and there's fucking buttery ass popcorn _everywhere_." She took a breath to continue, but she didn't. Instead, she looked up, finally sensing eyes on her. Brown eyes widened, darting from the tears in Rosalie's blouse to the mud halfway up her leg. "Shit. You look like shit." She rapidly ran a hand through her hair.

Rosalie barely registered the girl flinching and falling over when she suddenly appeared next to her. Hunger screamed inside of her as Bella's heart thudded in her chest, but Rosalie remained focused on Alice. "How long?"

"Uhm, like fifteen minutes, maybe?"

"Open your door."

Bella jumped to her feet to unlock her home while Rosalie gathered her sister in her arms. She breezed in after the human and looked around the living room.

"My room's upstairs," Bella offered.

Rosalie was setting Alice on the bed before Bella made it to the stairs. Though a part of her twitched about the back of her mind to look around, eager to take in every detail of the brunette's room, she only had eyes for the small vampire.

"Is she okay?"

Rosalie cocked her head. "Jasper will be here in a minute. Don't freak out if your emotions feel weird."

"I'm so far freaked the fuck out you don't even understand." Bella sat next to Alice and held one of her hands. Her knee bounced erratically. "She is extra damn cold."

An abrupt wind swept into the room and Bella partially jumped into Alice at the sudden sight of two more vampires. "Fuck! Three sets of black eyes and one gold. What _happened_? Did no one get the memo it's Saturday?" In the unnerving silence, she continued, "So, if it _is_ lunch time, I want my pet rock to go to Alice."

Jasper offered her a pained smile, but his accented tone held obvious, happy notes. "I see you've taken quite a shine to her."

Bella ran a hand through her hair, not liking the waves of calm rolling over her. "She's my best friend. Wanna fight about it?"

He openly grinned and shook his head. "If you don't mind?"

"Yeah. Sure." Bella glanced at Alice one more time before letting go of her hand and standing, looking up just in time to see what could've been a smile fade from the other vampire's face.

Rosalie watched her grimace and apologize to Esme. She tilted her head, confused and interested, although distantly. The girl was so odd.

"If anyone should apologize, I think it should be me." A touch of amusement lit Esme's dark eyes.

"No, I've been super rude and disrespectful, Alice's mom. I'm sorry." Her hand shot out and she offered a sheepish smile. "I'm Bella."

"Alice's mom?" Esme smiled.

"Well, I'm on the best terms with Alice, so," she glanced at Rosalie before shrugging.

Esme took her hand and shook it gently. "Please, call me Esme."

Bella made a face.

"Almost twenty minutes now," Rosalie said.

Bella's eyes darted to Jasper kneeling in front of Alice, holding her hands and intently staring at her.

Esme frowned.

"Mrs. Cullen?"

She blinked at Bella.

"So Alice only came out of it long enough to tell me everything would be fine, that Ice, er, Rosalie would handle it, then she froze up again." Bella lightly pointed at Rosalie, as if afraid the vampire might snap off her finger. "She looks like sh—uh, like some stuff went down. What happened on your end?"

Esme stared at her until she became uncomfortable. "Rose, go hunt. Quickly." She paused as the blonde obliged, vanishing from the room. "It's sometime after four. When does Charlie normally get home on Saturdays?"

"Jasper, can you stop doing your emotion thing? It's just freaking me out more." She regarded Esme again. "Five to six."

"Rosalie might stay with you."

Bella's eyes widened.

A smile only mothers could pull off came to Esme's face and, hesitantly, she touched Bella's sleeve. "You'll be okay."

"Uh, Mrs. Cullen, your daughter and I aren't exactly, uhm, anything positive. Like at all."

Alice flinched violently and squeezed Jasper's hands. Her eyes darted between the three of them for a few heartbeats before a sob rose from her throat. The small vampire crushed Bella in a hug, going so far as to lift her off the ground.

"Alice!"

"It's, it's okay," Bella wheezed, returning the hug with as much force as she could. "Worth dying."

Jasper nudged Esme with an elbow. "She sure knows how to pick 'em."

Esme looked between his smile and the human willingly being halfway squished to death and sighed, rubbing her temple. "You'll all be the death of me."

"Sorry," Bella grunted.

Alice set her down, gently rubbing her sides as she gasped for air.

"Hey, short stuff," Bella poked the frown on Alice's face and coughed a little. "You got some 'splaining to do."

"Too much, too little," Alice whispered.

"You need to sort it out, hun?"

Alice nodded to Jasper.

"Anything immediate?"

"No, Esme. At least, I don't think so. So many possibilities."

"Should Rosalie stay with Bella?"

Alice thought about it for a moment before shrugging sadly.

"Well, she'll do it just in case, even if it's just for a couple hours so we can begin to sort things out."

Bella looked at Esme. "Am I getting answers or should I shut up and be a good human?"

Alice rolled her eyes, but Esme smiled. "I'm afraid I have to apologize for the mess my children have put you in."

"Well, I was about to apologize for putting your kids in a mess, actually."

Esme clasped her hands in front of herself. "We're going to have a meeting. I'm sorry to put you on the spot, but I need to know if you want to come over for a second meeting and be included. I don't think I can keep Alice from you, but I need you to think it over. You simply knowing what we are puts us in danger."

"What?" Bella squeaked.

"We aren't supposed to expose ourselves, Isabella," Jasper drawled.

Her correction was automatic. "Bella."

"Bella," he said with a nod.

"Anyway," Esme continued with a glance to Jasper and Alice, demanding their silence, "We can be killed for letting you live and know our secret. And you, of course. So think, and we'll figure something out together or we'll leave you alone and—"

"Fuck that," Bella blurted. She grimaced. "Sorry, sorry. But, uh," She poked Alice, who blinked at her. "We're joined at the hip. I'm doomed to her upbeat personality until the day I die."

Jasper snorted.

Alice beamed at her, squeezing her from the side. "Belly Bells."

"I'll even make nice with Rosalie." She shuddered. "But, uh, how brutally do I have to tell Ward off for him to get the message but want to try to actually be my friend after?"

"Unfortunately, that is made difficult by the fact you're his singer."

Bella closed her eyes. "Does that mean 'tasty human' in vampire?"

Esme covered her smile. "You really _are_ quite dark, aren't you?"

"Why does everyone keep saying that?" she asked irritably. "Whatever. I'm down. You wanna be sure and pick apart my reasoning, then you can do it at the second meeting. I'll still think about it, Mrs. Cullen, because you asked, but," Bella stopped, patting the top of Alice's head.

The small vampire giggled.

"Well," Esme said solemnly, "If that's the case, you should start 'making nice' with Rose."

"What about Rosalie?"

The smell of endless roses washed over Bella in a breeze and she couldn't stop herself from glaring at the vampire who practically appeared in the room.

Rosalie's lip curled in response.

Esme sighed.

Jasper laughed, and Alice smiled because of it.

* * *

 **A/N:** I'm having so much fun it's ridiculous, even though this chapter drained me lol I remember fuck all about Twilight, honestly, so the wiki is definitely my friend. And we'll get some answers next update.

As usual, hoping you guys enjoyed it. See you next time!


	4. No Atmosphere

**A/N:** I love this story more than I wanted to.

* * *

They'd been sitting in silence for ten minutes since Charlie called and said he'd be home late. Well, Bella sat on her bed, twiddling her thumbs, and Rosalie stood against the dresser with her arms crossed. Before the call, they'd been the same way for fifteen minutes after Esme, Alice and Jasper left.

Almost a half hour of silence.

"Hey."

Slowly, gold eyes slid over to her.

"Sorry for driving your car."

"That's no problem."

Bella clenched her jaw. "So, what _is_ your problem?"

Her gaze fell, almost thoughtful.

After waiting a few minutes, Bella made a frustrated noise. "You can leave. I'm sure everything will be fine for the next hour."

"Tell me your problem, I'll tell you mine."

Bella paused at the open tone. There wasn't any ice, and she realized Rosalie's voice sounded like perfect petals of a rose falling on water because of it. She almost slapped herself. Clearing her throat, Bella went into her closet and rummaged around. "I don't have a problem."

Rosalie blinked as a worn box flew out the closet and skidded across the floor. "You stare at me and scowl a lot."

"Whatever! You started it."

She almost smiled despite herself. "So I start it, you finish it?"

"Any fucking day of the week, Ice Queen."

"You're insane."

"Good, makes me a good fit for Alice." A thud sounded from the closet, followed by a quiet curse.

"Speaking of, Isabella, if you're not up for being the friend of a vampire, decide it now, because she already loves you. So leave her alone now instead of hurting her worse later, because I will personally tear you apart in front of your father."

"Oh, but _I'm_ dark," Bella muttered as she emerged from the closet.

A blonde eyebrow quirked at her response, rather her lack of one.

Bella held out a red shirt with a ruined castle design on the front.

Gold eyes locked on it.

Bella shook it. "I know it's not anything close to your style, but it's the longest shirt I have and you're kind of taller than me?"

Rosalie's gaze settled on her.

"Oh, just fucking accept this nicety and go back to hating me, will you?"

Carefully, she took the shirt and watched Bella turn around. "I don't hate you."

"Sure fooled me."

Rosalie's lips twitched. "I stared first because," she paused, letting her ruined shirt fall, "Because you just pissed me off for some reason."

"The feeling's mutual."

"I piss you off, Isabella?" She closed her eyes. This wasn't a course she ever intended to follow. Being left alone with Bella was a terrible idea. An idea that Esme had. So was it by design or simply practical?

"Oh, yeah," Bella laughed.

"So then?"

"You done?"

Rosalie had completely forgotten she wasn't wearing a shirt. She glanced down at herself, seeing the cracking in her side had almost faded entirely. "Almost. So then?"

"So what?"

"So," Rosalie said pulling on the shirt, "Why be as you are?"

"What am I supposed to do, be a petty child?"

A frown broke Rosalie's perfect features. She didn't know what she was looking for the girl to say. However, she decided Esme's decision was both by design, and practical.

"You're not so bad once one gets over the urge to hit you with heavy objects most of the time."

"I suppose I could almost say the same of you."

Bella huffed.

"You know, when Alice finds out you have clothes like this, she'll lose her mind."

Bella turned around and her eyebrows shot up. "That clashes _so_ bad, dude."

"I am aware. Do not call me that."

"Sorry I don't have anything else." She looked at the mud covering a good fourth of Rosalie. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

Bella picked up her torn shirt and tossed it on the bed. "Yeah, that means you're anything but."

Rosalie watched her pick up the worn box she'd thrown out the closet and leave the room. "Where are you going?"

"Well," Bella called from the stairs, "I'm hungry and bored."

After a minute of internal debate, she followed down the stairs. "That isn't exactly an answer."

Rosalie bristled when the girl held up a finger and pointed her to the living room. Honestly, she'd never been so casually dismissed in her life, and would've corrected the behavior if Bella wasn't on the phone. She sat on the couch and, as pizza was ordered in the other room, Rosalie's eyes drifted to the box carelessly discarded on the table. She rolled her eyes and leaned forward, opening it.

"Oh, no."

"Hell yes, you mean," Bella countered happily.

"I do not do board games."

Bella plopped down near her and pulled the table closer to them. "Monopoly is not a _board game,_ it's the force to tear apart families. Come on, Charlie won't play with me anymore."

Rosalie crossed her arms and spoke slowly, as if Bella was stupid. "I do not _do_ board games."

"Scared, Ice Queen?" Bella waggled her eyebrows.

"Hardly."

Bella pulled out the board and started shuffling the Chance cards. "Sure, sure. You know, I'm surprised you talk so much."

"I assure you that you don't know a tenth of the words I know."

"Right, right," Bella nodded. "So, Aristotle, how about we try to get along? I'll throttle you in my mind, and you throttle me in yours. If for no better reason than Alice."

"I happen to think we get along just fine."

Bella stared at her for half a second, and then threw the Community Chest cards straight into Rosalie's face. "We get along just fine."

The vampire didn't move at all, didn't even retrieve the sole card stuck in her hair.

Bella pretended to check a watch.

Rosalie closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them again, they were a dark amber, burning into Bella. "Do you have a death wish?"

She shrugged a shoulder. "A little bit, to be honest."

The muscles in her jaw worked before Rosalie picked up all the cards in a blur. She shuffled them slowly, by Bella's standards. "Edward was crazed and coming for you. It was to make sure you were okay, but, again, he was crazed."

"He would've torn me apart," Bella said quietly.

"And anyone in his way."

"That's what Alice promised me you would take care of."

Rosalie nodded, halfway to herself. "I happened to be nearby and heard him thundering around. I… stopped him." She almost flinched at a light touch on her knee and if she weren't a vampire, she wouldn't have felt it. She absently focused on a few human fingertips tentatively resting on her knee.

"Did he hurt you?"

Rosalie's lips parted, but she only stared at Bella, struck by the evident concern. She continued shuffling the cards. "What has he told you about us getting hurt?"

"Nothing, really." Bella retracted her hand, rubbing her fingers as if burned. "So he did hurt you."

"No." She set the cards down in their spot. "We're dangerous for you, and you, us. That's my problem with you."

"What gave him the right to do that to you guys? To his family?"

"Excuse me?"

"What the fuck is wrong with him?" She ran a hand through her hair. "How stupid can he be? How stupid and irresponsible? How do you, as a vampire, just decide to tell your lab partner one day in Biology that you're a fucking vampire? How do you just tease them with tidbits of information and antics to prove it, but keep something important out? How do you casually disregard that such stupidity is punishable by _death_ for all involved? And to not even ask you guys or anything first. That's not fair to you guys at all. I'm surprised you didn't kill him yourself."

For a moment, she recalled the screaming match she'd had with Edward about a month ago, how she demanded they all move that very day. She remembered telling Alice to shove her positive visions into a very not positive place. "And what about you?"

"What about me? I'm nothing."

Rosalie frowned at the passion in her eyes. "Why do you care so much?"

She jerked up a shoulder in a shrug and slammed the dog piece on the Go square. "Don't worry about it."

After the girl resolutely stared at the game board, Rosalie selected a piece for herself.

"Seriously? A fucking wheelbarrow?"

"Isabella?"

"Yeah?" She didn't look away from the board, but her head tilted a little.

Rosalie picked up the dice and gazed at them, seeing every scratch and minuscule scuff on them. She shut her eyes. "Never mind." She heard Bella make a small noise.

"What is it?"

"Never mind it." She set down the dice. "I don't do board games."

Bella leaned back into the couch and scooted the table away with her shoe. She chewed her cheek. "Your problem is that I'm bad news."

Rosalie stood. "I'll keep watch for another half hour from outside."

"Don't tear my shirt. I want it back."

"Of course."

It was a few minutes before Bella moved, and only because her pizza arrived. She went back to the couch and cleaned up the game board, tossing its box under the table. Brown eyes bore into the pizza box, and then she shrugged, kicking a leg up on the table. She flipped open the box and turned on the TV, eating straight from the box. She refused to wonder why Rosalie hadn't been breathing the entire time they were alone.

Charlie had come back a little over an hour later, mumbling awkward questions about her day.

Bella patted the space beside her instead of answering him.

He hesitated, but he came over with a beer and sat down, glancing at her before grabbing a slice of cold pizza. "Whatcha watching?"

"Some bar renovation show. Charlie?"

He grunted, chewing.

"It's the beginning of October. I've been here since June. Let's just relax. Life's too short to worry about lost time or trying to find some roles we should've had." She lifted her cup of juice without looking at him. "Here's to being bad at conversation and hating mornings."

"Amen to that, Bells." He tapped his beer against her cup and they drank.

After an episode where a woman reverted her bar to how it was at the start and went out of business because of it, Bella asked, biting back a yawn, "What kept you out?"

"Some reports of loud noises in the forest. Went out looking and we saw a downed tree. Called it a day right there."

Bella pondered the damage two vampires could cause. "Sounds like a good call to me."

He set down his empty bottle. "Speaking of calls, how much longer are you going to dodge Jake?"

Bella groaned and stretched. "On that note, good night." She held out her fist.

He raised an eyebrow.

She rolled her eyes. "Make a fist." When he obliged, still confused, Bella laughed. She fist-bumped him. "There. Don't stay up long."

Charlie smiled widely at her for the first time since she'd come to Forks. "You too, Bells."

Bella kicked off her shoes and collapsed in bed without bothering to undress and yawned, eager to indulge in a well-deserved coma. She readjusted after a couple minutes and her hand brushed against something extremely soft. Stifling another yawn, she brought it closer to her eyes. Blearily, she blinked at the offending object, but her nose identified it first. She sniffed it directly to verify her tired guess, an image of moonlight and roses forming in her brain just before sleep claimed her.

* * *

Two soft knocks, a pause, and two more.

Rosalie still didn't invite Esme in.

Two more knocks.

Her attention remained out the window and into the night.

Esme poked her head into the dark room. After a moment, she entered and sat on the loveseat beside Rosalie.

A few minutes went by before either vampire spoke. "You always leave if I don't invite you in."

"Yes, well, I believe this cannot wait. You sound tired."

Rosalie made a small noise, acknowledging her words.

Esme spotted the odd, red shirt on the chair at the desk and glanced back at her daughter's form. "It was nice of her to give you a shirt." When Rosalie didn't say anything, Esme almost rolled her eyes into her head. "I can't help but notice you shed that, but not the rest of your clothes."

"What do you want me to say, Esme?"

"Edward's out with Jasper so he can relax, so I'd like for you to say whatever you feel inclined to saying."

"Then that's nothing."

"Rosalie, you came in, asked if anyone was dying, and said you didn't care otherwise. And here you are, sitting in the dark, in muddy boots and jeans you've been wearing since Friday and you haven't put on a new shirt. Emmett is gone and I honestly don't know if or when he'll come back."

"I'm sorry. I never intended to cause a divide in your family."

"Our family, you mean?" Esme heard her voice rising and stopped, breathing. "What do you do for yourself, Rosalie? There was Emmett, but he was just a brief distraction and we both know it. It turned into you doing for him, and us in turn. You're worrying me, Rosalie. It's just pretense for you. How long until even that wears out?"

"What else is there for me?"

"She might be Edward's singer, but you actually _engage_ with this human girl and—"

"And it's a mistake!" Rosalie shot to her feet.

They stared at each other, rage and sadness between them.

Finally, Esme whispered, "You don't believe that."

"It is a mistake. One I do not care to make again."

Esme stood, unfaltering under Rosalie's glare. "You are scared, child. I actually think Bella will decide she wants to be in the mess we cause, and though I don't know why, I cannot condemn her for it."

"I will never cease to condemn stupidity."

"Is that so?" Esme asked as she went to the desk and lifted Bella's shirt.

"Yes."

She tossed the shirt at Rosalie, who caught it out of reflex. "At what point do you condemn your own?" She watched the blonde contemplate the red fabric. "Is it a mistake for Alice to be her friend?"

Rosalie remained silent, well aware the small vampire could hear them. She shut her eyes. "My patience for this life of pretense fades."

"You never once tried to live. This pretense is your doing."

Rosalie watched her leave, flinching when she slammed the door.

* * *

On Monday, only Alice came to school, and she partially frowned because Bella smiled at her too brightly during lunch, for too little time. She went back to her book, never once looking up again, and Alice gave her the space, opting to stay alone at her family's table.

On Tuesday, Bella sat at the far end of her friends' table and couldn't seem to get interested in her book. Not to mention she didn't so much as glance at Alice.

On Wednesday, Bella was late to school, and no one asked her about it, possibly because of the bags under her eyes.

On Thursday, Bella didn't bring her book to lunch. Instead, she sat with her earbuds in, staring off at nothing. Her leg never stopped bouncing.

Friday came, and Alice glanced around the parking lot for a beat up truck. For an hour, she waited in Rosalie's car, endlessly tapping a finger on the steering wheel. After another five minutes, she picked up her phone.

Esme answered on the first ring. "What's wrong?"

Alice bit her lip.

"Alice?"

She reversed out her parking spot and navigated away from the school. "Not going in today and I might be late home."

"What happened?"

Alice hesitated, thinking about Bella's behavior. "I don't know."

"Do you need someone with you?"

"No."

It was a moment before Esme spoke. "Should someone else go?"

Alice's lip twitched. "I'm sorry, Esme, but I don't think bitchiness will help this."

"Take your time."

After hanging up, she took a deep breath and squeezed the steering wheel. Being upset with Rosalie didn't do any good, and Alice understood her, so she was justified in her stubbornness.

However, that did nothing to stop Alice from wanting to just shake her and yell sense into her thick skull.

The few minutes it took to pull into the Swans' driveway felt entirely too long to Alice and she didn't bother with the door. She paused, perched awkwardly on Bella's windowsill, and frowned at the window itself. Locked. She glanced at the girl lying in her bed. Fully clothed, hood up, eyes closed, earbuds in. It took a second for Alice to make a decision.

The lock screamed and broke with the force she opened the window and she slid into the room. Irritation washed over her as she stared at Bella, who hadn't moved at all. She could hear the girl's music _far_ too clearly, even for a vampire.

Alice stepped close and yanked out her earbuds.

Still keeping her eyes closed, Bella wiggled her fingers in her ears.

"I nearly broke your window. Don't you think your music is too loud? What if I wanted to kill you?"

"Well, I couldn't stop you if you did, could I?"

"That isn't the point."

"I just need this weekend."

"What about this weekend?" Alice restrained from stomping her foot.

Bella opened her eyes and sat up, pushing back her hood. "I just need it."

"You've had this whole week! You talk to your best friend when you're not okay! I tried to give you time to process things, but this? This is too far, Bella. You haven't even looked at me in days."

Bella rubbed her face, then ran a hand through her hair. She looked at Alice. Rubbed her face, ran a hand through her hair. "I just need this weekend. It'd give it time."

"Give what time?"

Bella looked away.

"Talk to me." Her shoulders sank. "Please."

"What do you see? When you see our friendship, what do you see?"

Alice sat next to her, taking off her jacket. "Flashes of things. Nothing's set in stone."

"What kind of things?"

She smiled to herself. "Many things. I see a makeover or two. I see us camping in one tent because you broke yours and you shiver all night because you insist on being close to me even though I'm cold. Movies. Us holding hands. Us smiling. Us running through the trees, laughing."

"Sounds like I steal you from Jasper."

"A competition for me sounds nice. Maybe I can convince Carlisle to be a cheerleader. You like girls, Bella?"

"Don't be coy, Alice."

"Fair enough."

Bella sighed. Rubbed her face, ran a hand through her hair. "It sounds nice."

"I look forward to it, and the road there."

"Why?"

Alice frowned. "Why wouldn't I?"

"You're immortal. I'll wither and die, at worst." When Alice didn't say anything, Bella looked at her. Instinctually, she crushed the vampire's face to her chest. "I'm sorry. Please don't cry."

She sniffed. "We can't cry, not like you do."

"That's terrible." She rubbed circles on Alice's back. "I'm sorry. I don't want you to be sad too. Don't think for a second I won't be a spry eighty-year-old. I'll put rockets on my wheelchair. Just try and outrun me, youngster."

"You don't mean it," Alice whispered.

Bella sighed. "I don't believe it."

"Aren't those the same thing?"

"Maybe, maybe not. Are your eyes shiny still? The idea of you crying tears me apart inside."

Alice sat up, rubbing her eyes.

Bella took Alice's jacket from her lap and tossed it onto her dresser.

Alice tracked the movement, seeing it land on Rosalie's shirt. "You haven't thrown that out?"

"I've been busy?"

Alice quirked her eyebrow.

Bella looked away as her cheeks turned a faint red. "I don't fit into your life, or any of your lives, you know? You're all gods and goddesses and I'm… not." Bella fiddled with her sleeve. "I don't want you being sad because some human died."

"You're not some human, Bella. Is that what this is about?"

Her brow furrowed. "Yes and no."

"I'm waiting."

"You'll wait a long time."

"Bella?"

She looked at the vampire.

"How is living a long life the worst case for you?"

"Did Aristotle tell you that I had the _nerve_ to throw cards in her face?"

Open shock washed over Alice's face. "Do you have a death wish?"

"Yeah." Bella laughed, short and bitter. "She said those same words. So I'll say the same ones. A little bit, yeah, to be honest."

"What?"

Bella partially smiled at her shrill tone. "She didn't do anything at all. Not even slap me. She was absolutely livid, but she didn't even slap me. Why?"

Alice bit her lip.

She held up her hand. "Alright, sister code. Don't worry about it. Any ideas why she didn't tell you about it or is that off limits too?"

"Rose," Alice said slowly, choosing her words, "Rose hasn't really left her room."

"Seriously?"

Alice nodded, a small amount of regret on her face.

"What's up her ass?"

She huffed. "Do you know how hard it is being in the middle of everything? Seeing things and not knowing when or when not to intervene, or if what I saw only happens because I'd intervene?"

Bella rubbed the back of her neck. "I can't imagine. Wanna talk about it?"

"Right now I'd rather talk about why you threw cards in her face."

She nodded, thinking. "If I tell you, will you leave me be for the weekend?"

"Will you tell me what's important about this weekend?"

"Will you accept a lie?"

"Will you pretend to lie?"

Bella smiled. "You make me feel happy."

It took a second for Alice to adjust to the shift in conversation. "Well, I _am_ your best friend."

"That's why I'm down, for whatever." Bella took a deep breath, some sadness creeping into her smile. "I figured I have enough in me to try one more time. One, last time before I can't handle being a walking heartache anymore," she paused, clearing her throat.

Alice frowned, feeling her eyes start to shine. She brushed away the tears beginning to fall from Bella's eyes.

"I'm trusting my last bit of sanity with you, Alice. My mom always told me Charlie didn't want me when I asked about him, and so I grow up, realizing she didn't really care either. And I can't blame her because she isn't the type of person to be a mom and I think I really screwed up what she wanted in life. And, you know, I just, I never felt right or like I had purpose and shit. Like, there isn't anything I want in life, not really. And then there's people. I'm their best friend or whatever else, they love me and the world isn't the same without me, but then one day their world spins just fine without me and they can't or won't just fucking say it to me and just leave me hoping and trying to understand the pieces they've left behind. That's part of why I just wanted to come here. Renee and Phil were tiptoeing around me after Josephine flipped her switch and practically ran me out of school. And I'm sorry because now I'm just fucking crying and shit."

Before Alice could say something, Bella swatted away her hands and started wiping her face on her sleeves.

"Sitting here ugly crying and shit and I bet you're vampire-crying now." She looked up and sniffed. "Yup. Dammit."

"Bella," Alice said softly, taking her hands.

She cleared her throat. "Sorry, didn't mean to do that. Was pretty pathetic. Wow. Anyway," she shrugged quickly, "Will you put it on my tombstone that I threw cards into the face of Rosalie Hale and didn't die?" Her shoulders started to shake with laughter.

Alice laughed a little with her. "No, I will not because you're not dying on me."

"Human." Bella raised an eyebrow seriously. "Got you there."

The vampire squeezed her hands. "Please talk to me when you feel sad. Please."

Bella scoffed. "I'm fine."

"We have wildly different definitions of 'fine.'"

"It's just hard to breathe sometimes." Bella shrugged a shoulder, sniffing.

Alice stared at her a moment, biting her lip, and as she started to smile, her face went slack.

"Great," she sighed. "Another vision."

For a few minutes, Bella simply held onto the vampire's hands, afraid letting go would make her cranky. She started humming a song and gazing around her room trying to find something interesting.

"You like The Nightmare Before Christmas?"

She blinked at Alice. "I love it, why?"

"You were humming _the_ song and bouncing to it."

Bella cursed. "I drift to that half the time. What'd you see?"

"I," she stopped, looking down.

"Don't know if you should tell me?"

"It was because of something I decided," Alice whispered.

"It can't be too bad, then."

She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "So what about this weekend?"

"Nothing worth mentioning. Don't change the subject."

Alice stood and winked at Bella. "I'm not telling. However—"

Bella groaned.

"Oh, hush. I'm leaving for a bit and I'm spending the weekend with you."

"What? No."

A foot tapped the floor. "Too bad. Better think of something to tell Charlie. We might have the second meeting tomorrow, though."

"I never gave my decision on that, though."

Alice raised an eyebrow. "Really."

"Ah, shut up and go where you're going, you sprite."

Alice flashed her a smile before darting out the window.

* * *

 **A/N:** I was really worried about this, but then I remembered book-Bella's patheticness and realized my Bella is totally rad, maybe lol I am so tired that I don't know what English is.

I had something else to say, but I completely forgot. See you guys in a couple weeks, unless my hand slips and I update before that.


	5. Crossing the Event Horizon

**A/N:** -cackles madly-

* * *

Alice ran through the trees as fast as she could, wild with excitement and a particular happiness she hadn't felt in a while. She jumped over a river, laughing. The vision played over and over in her head, and though chance had a large role in whether or not it'd happen, she couldn't help thinking about it. The sheer possibilities created a warm feeling in her chest, and the onslaught of things she'd seen the week before somehow didn't matter as much.

The small vampire bounded through an open window and into the living room, launching straight into Esme's arms. They spun, Alice laughing and Esme simply smiling because of it.

She set Alice down and cupped her face. "What has you so exuberant?"

Carlisle looked up from his chess game with Edward, a fond smile on his face.

Rosalie emerged from her room upstairs, resting her elbows on the railing as she watched her sister bounce.

"And why can't I answer that?" Edward scowled.

"Can we have the meeting soon? Today? In a few hours? Now?" Alice clapped her hands over Esme's.

The older vampire chuckled softly. "Wasn't something wrong earlier?"

"Oh, there was and is! But this is wonderful!"

"Where is my car?"

Alice smiled apologetically up at Rosalie. "Sorry, I forgot it at Bella's house."

Rosalie's eyes rolled, but no one paid attention.

"Well, what is it, Alice?" Carlisle absently touched chess piece after piece, causing Edward's scowl to deepen.

"Esme only!" Alice darted out the back door.

"I positively detest when she makes a ruckus and doesn't share."

"Yet, I see you smiling inside, Rosalie."

She glared at Edward and vanished into her room again.

Esme got a nod from Carlisle and went after her daughter.

Alice wasn't waiting far off. She flashed Esme a smile before taking off again, and the two didn't stop until they reached a familiar lake.

"Well, what's made you so happy, my dear?" Esme smiled, watching Alice twirl toward a log and sit, a pure bundle of joy.

"Oh, Esme!" Her smile broadened, but then it faltered after a second. "Belly Bells is," she stopped altogether, biting her lip.

Esme sat beside her, taking one of her hands in her own and smiling softly. "Depressed?"

"How did you know?"

"I've got a mother's eye."

Alice harrumphed uncharacteristically. "I see the future and you saw that before me."

"Also," she said with a small laugh, "It's her nonchalance. Don't get me started on her instincts for self-preservation not caring at all about being surrounded about vampires."

"That is a little weird."

"A little? She didn't flinch when I said she could be killed for knowing we're vampires. She didn't flinch about the fact that we're _vampires._ _Vampires eat people, Alice._ Rose told her Edward wanted to tear her apart. And yet I would bet my life on the fact she's warm as ever to you."

"When did Rose tell you she did that? Today was the first time she left her room."

"She didn't." Esme tapped her temple. "Mother's eye. Rose wants to scare Bella off."

"Whyyyy," Alice whined.

"Because Rose doesn't want her to give up her life, which she considers the equivalent of being around vampires as a human. Because Rose doesn't want us in danger. Because Rose is scared and angry. Because what sane person decides it's a good idea to associate with their predators?"

"Well, that's pretty smart, actually. If you befriend your predators."

Esme blinked. "We're not going into that right now. Feel free to argue that point with Rose sometime soon if you want."

Alice nodded happily. "Oh! Guess what I found out!"

She sighed, giving Alice a tired look. "Please tell me before my heart just gives out from the stress that is my children."

"Oh, Esme, hush." She lightly slapped her mother's hand. "I found out," she paused, laughing, "I found out that Bella threw cards into Rose's face!"

"Into Rosalie Hale's face."

Alice grinned.

"And she is still alive."

"Rose didn't do _anything_ , she didn't even say something rude."

"Are you sure?"

Alice nodded vigorously.

Esme looked over at the lake, watching a dragonfly hover above the water. "Jasper commented on her affection for you. Would you like to know her response, her first words to the vampire she knows still has problems with controlling himself?"

"What?"

"She said she's your best friend and asked if he would like to fight about it."

A small, fond smile came to Alice's face. "Sounds like the Bella I know and love."

"You know, at this point, I think _I_ love her." Seeing Alice tilt her head, Esme smiled lightly, somewhat sad. "I believe Emmett put it well. Your steps lacked the same pep. For some time."

"Oh."

"It's nice, seeing you more alive than ever."

"It's different than with everyone else." She stared at her hands for a moment. "And I know it's odd because I'm obviously spectacular and an absolute joy and Bella's grumpier than a stump. But it just feels… perfect."

"And that is half of why I will tear the head off of someone who tries to hurt her and parade it about as an example."

Alice's eyes widened.

She smiled, her eyes flashing. "Did you forget what I am, Alice?"

Alice leaned back a little, clearing her throat as she looked over the lake.

"About the other half. Grumpier than a stump," Esme echoed her words. "That reminds me of someone."

"Do you think Rose noticed that?"

"No, they have equally hard heads, I believe."

"I just want to shake them."

"Me too," Esme laughed, but then her expression grew somber. "I'm worried, Alice. I'm worried our family is falling apart. Emmett loves Rose to the ends of the earth. I don't know if he can stand being away from her any more than being in the same house, without her. Edward doubles his obsession with Bella, convincing himself he can love his singer and perhaps find some humanity, some redemption in that. Rosalie," she covered her eyes, sighing, "Rosalie. Rose fancies herself a walking corpse, wearing a mask of life to spare our feelings."

"Every play has its end," Alice whispered.

"I've never seen her as livid as whenever she and Bella meet."

"So alive?"

"Yes. So, please," She turned to Alice. "Tell me what fills you with so much joy."

The smaller vampire smiled. "Gold eyes."

"Surely you don't mean…"

"Bella and I were talking about her mortality and I don't know, I just kind of decided I would do whatever it takes to keep her?" Alice's tone hit a higher pitch, as if worried Esme wouldn't approve.

"And you had a vision?"

"Yes," she bounced, "And it makes some visions from last week make more sense."

"Weren't those mostly terrible or tolerable?"

"Not all."

Esme's eyes narrowed slightly. "You hold out a lot."

"My sad burden," she said, staring into the distance. "Bella and Emmett racing through the woods… Bella, laughing, being chased by Rose, who looked, what was it? Livid."

Alice found herself lifted off the log and being spun in circles by Esme, and she couldn't help laughing with the older vampire.

* * *

Rosalie unhappily stared at the door to the Swans' home. Again. She'd been threatening to throw Alice from the roof when Esme barged into her room. Black eyes, a growl building in her chest and a finger pointed.

The blonde shuddered a little, remembering how quickly she'd run from the house. She did not look forward to being scolded for breaking off half the front door.

Sighing, she knocked on the door. After a minute, she knocked again, but this time she tilted her head, listening. Her brow furrowed. There was no reason for her to be able to hear music. If she hadn't heard the song before, she wouldn't have known it was music and simply written it off as nonsense. With yet another sigh, she raised her fist, but her knuckles hovered just short of the door.

Rosalie circled around the house and quirked her eyebrow at Bella's window. Broken lock, likely Alice's doing. So, her sister had the same problem getting inside. However, she was not Alice.

So, logically, she did the only thing she could do and then crossed her arms, waiting.

After the glass broke, she heard a yelp. Bella lurched to the window, violently sliding up the broken pane. Her brown eyes were fire, and the tiniest smile came to Rosalie's face.

She leaned half her body out, jabbing her finger through the air so intensely she pulled out her earbuds and they fell. "Imma fuckin' fight you, Hale! That rock hit my damn leg!"

"I don't go through windows. Open your door, Swan."

"I will, because doors are for chumps and you're a damned chump!" Bella froze, the anger absolutely gone from her face. She looked down at her fist, hovering an inch above the broken glass she almost slammed it down on. Slowly, she met Rosalie's deep, amber eyes.

The vampire's face was slack. Wind lifted her hair gently, the only part of her that moved. Perfect nails dug too deeply into her arms.

An animalistic hunger lurked in her eyes, and the longer Bella stared into it, the clearer something became. In her yard, an inch away from tearing out her throat, Rosalie Hale was the most beautiful thing she would see in her entire life.

And, distantly, deep within her, a part of Bella whispered to grind her hand into the glass.

A part of her yearned to see the vampire nature within the statuesque goddess below her.

A part of her swore to navigate the labyrinth that was Rosalie Hale.

Bella closed her eyes, running a hand through her hair as she left the window.

It was a while before Bella stepped outside, and she didn't glance at Rosalie waiting in her car. Wordlessly, she climbed in and buckled her seatbelt, staring forward.

Rosalie dropped blue earbuds into Bella's lap. She wasn't surprised when she didn't get a word of thanks. Her eyes never left the road during the drive.

Bella didn't even glance at radio.

As they went up the long driveway to the Cullen home, she stole a look at her passenger for the first time.

She raised an eyebrow without looking at Rosalie.

Sighing, Rosalie parked out front. Hand on her door, she thought about saying something, but just shook her head and got out. Against her better judgement, she walked a human pace to the door, but still, Bella lagged. "Door's here, Swan."

"Half of it," she heard Edward whisper.

Bella leaned around the corner of the house, not really paying attention to Rosalie. "What?"

She stopped glaring through the door at her brother, who dashed away. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing. Mind your business." Bella went around the side of the house.

Rosalie scoffed and went inside, giving Edward a look as she sat on a couch.

"Where's Bella?" Esme called from upstairs.

"What took you so long?"

"Your human is slow, Alice."

Jasper whistled. "Someone's mighty grumpy."

"Not as grumpy as you'll be when I throw you through the wall."

"Don't you dare harm my poor house anymore, Miss Hale."

Edward plopped down beside Jasper. "Testy today, Rosalie?"

"I dare you to explore it."

Jasper smiled good naturedly at her.

At this point, Emmett normally said something to keep the conversation light, but he wasn't there, and the silence deepened.

And then they heard a curse.

Esme stopped halfway down the stairs, tilting her head a bit.

Some rustling of leaves and a grunt followed.

Alice's face lit up and she flashed up the stairs and down the hallway, staring at the branch of a tree leading to the open window of their home they had in place of a wall.

Carlisle drifted over with Esme.

"Is she…?"

A hand grasped the branch and, with a couple of grunts and curses, Bella pulled herself up and tumbled into their hallway.

The smallest vampire made a noise of delight. "You truly meant it!"

Bella gave her a thumbs up from the floor. "Best friends, best friends come through windows," she puffed.

"Doors are for chumps," Alice finished, beaming. She turned to her parents. "Isn't she amazing?"

"I'd say of all the things I've heard about the great Isabella Swan, I am not disappointed." Carlisle chuckled.

Bella made it to a knee, taking a deep breath. "Okay. Whew." She got to her feet, offering her hand to Carlisle after rubbing it on her jeans. "You must be, whew, you must be Alice's dad-Mr. Cullen. Please, call me Bella."

"Alice's dad-Mr. Cullen?" He smiled, amused, shaking her hand.

Esme leaned toward him, explaining, "It's because she's on the best terms with Alice."

"Oh," he said, nodding seriously. "Of course."

"Nice to meet you, sir." She waved at Esme, taking another deep breath. "Nice to see you again, Mrs. Alice's mom. You guys almost literally have a glass house."

Esme covered her smile. "Likewise."

"I'd like to apologize for coming through your window. It's rude, but I am friendship-bound to do it."

"Because doors are for chumps?"

She nodded at him. "Precis—" Bella broke off in a grunt as Alice squeezed her, obviously out of patience for their conversation.

Carlisle looked ready to interrupt, but Esme laid her hand on his arm. "No, no, Bella would very much like to possibly die from hugs." She glided down to the living room, followed by her husband after he stared at the pair a moment longer.

Bella gasped for air the second her feet hit the ground.

"Come on, meeting time." Alice tugged her toward the living room.

"That's why I finally get to see the Cullen home?"

Esme glanced at the annoyed blonde before watching Bella double-time it down the stairs so she wasn't literally dragged behind Alice. "Did Rose not tell you?"

Bella's head jerked up so quickly to glare at Rosalie that she missed the last step and stumbled into Alice's already waiting arms.

"Well," Edward said lightly.

"Hey, Ward."

He grimaced. "Hello, Bella." He shifted, but remained sitting after Jasper nudged him.

Alice pulled Bella down onto the couch between her and the arm of it.

"Jasper."

He inclined his head. "Bella."

"So," Carlisle put an arm around his wife. "Shall we begin?" After some murmurs of agreement, he regarded Bella. "Do you truly wish to remain in our company?"

She pointedly rested her elbow on Alice's shoulder and propped up her chin on her fist. "No doubt."

"Might I ask why?"

"Short or long answer?"

Esme shrugged. "Whichever, dear."

She chewed the inside of her cheek, thinking, and her eyes drifted across the coven of vampires until they settled on Rosalie, whose focus was a wall. Bella quirked an eyebrow, looking at Carlisle and Esme again. "To start, I'm surrounded by vampires."

"Your point?"

"I'm breathing."

"That can change," Rosalie said under her breath.

"My dumb human ears heard that, Hale."

She shot a glare at the girl, and it only intensified when Bella didn't wither under it. "Not when I tear them off, they won't."

"Sadly, I think I might still hear you."

Edward leaned forward in an attempt to catch Bella's eye. "Isabella, please ignore Rosalie."

"Not if my life depended on it, Ward. Shove off."

Rosalie stared down Edward, an underlying meaning to her words she knew he would catch, "I cannot be ignored."

"So the rock told me," Bella piped up.

Alice looked at her friend. "A rock?"

"Forget it," Rosalie and Bella said at once.

As they glared at each other, Jasper raised his eyebrows, the beginning of a smile playing about his lips. "I would like to hear this story."

"I'm certain there is no story."

"Why, trying to pry into everyone's thoughts, Edward?"

"My, you were not exaggerating."

They all stopped and looked at Carlisle.

Esme shook her head. "Not at all."

It was Edward who asked, "Exaggerating?"

Carlisle chuckled. "Esme told me you'd all get quite… lively when put together."

Rosalie scoffed, earning a sharp look from Bella.

"You were saying, Bella?"

She blinked a moment. "Oh, yeah. I'm surrounded by vampires and not worried about being eaten alive, so that's a pretty good starting reason for why I don't have a problem being around you guys."

Carlisle glanced at Rosalie to see if she would interrupt. "And to continue your reasoning?"

She nudged Alice. "Care to put forth that part?"

The small vampire adopted a serious expression before raising her hand slightly and wiggling her fingers. "Me."

Carlisle's lips twitched and he leaned back, smoothing back his hair.

"Anything else, Bella?" Edward prompted, some hope in his eyes.

"Yes, actually. I got nothing better to do." She studied her knee before continuing, and her voice was softer. "I don't know where I wanna go, what I wanna do, but I know I _want_ to go a place, I know I _want_ to do something, ever since stumbling into this… mess." She smiled at Esme at the end.

"Well, I like having you in this mess that is my children so far, Bella, so we'll have a vote."

"We're an even number." Rosalie's gaze remained on the wall.

"I'm voting."

Rosalie sneered at Bella. "You can't vote. You aren't family."

"Bite me, Hale."

Jasper and Carlisle laughed, followed by Alice.

Bella made a face at Rosalie. "Sorry. I promise I didn't mean that as a pun. I totally forgot."

She uncrossed her arms and leaned forward somewhat, disgust mixing with disbelief on her face. "You forgot I'm a _vampire_?"

"The vote," Carlisle said loudly. "All in favor of an immediate cease of communication with Bella and moving locations?"

Bella beat Rosalie to raising her hand.

Predictably, the blonde scowled.

Grimacing at the confused hurt on Alice's face, Bella spoke softly, "I don't want to leave your side, but I also want you safe."

"But—"

"Shush. Later." She looked at the rest of them. "In addition, I don't believe it was fair for me to be dumped on you guys due to a selfish desire." Bella ignored how Edward positively shriveled into the couch. "If this meeting was held earlier, before Alice broke into my house and we did super best friend things, only Alice would be voting in favor of me."

Esme opened her mouth, but Carlisle held up his hand.

"If I may, Bella's words alone give me reason to believe this is not a mistake. It is a risk, but not one I would count a mistake."

"Until the Volturi come for blood."

Carlisle nodded at Rosalie's words, rising and absently walking to the stairs.

Edward leaned forward, tensing. "Carlisle?"

In an instant, Carlisle was crossing the room. Edward launched forward, only to be thrown. The eldest vampire pivoted, elbowing back Jasper as glass shattered from Edward's body as he flew out the window. Alice screamed just as Bella started to gasp.

Her gasp never made it out of her throat as Carlisle grabbed it, lifting her with ease.

Bella's back hit the wall as Alice yelled Carlisle's name.

"If I—"

A snarl cut off his words and, with terrible ease, Carlisle slapped Edward away without even looking. He dropped Bella to spin, snapping Alice out the air and redirecting her momentum into her charging husband.

Carlisle reached for Bella's throat, but a hand locked onto his arm. He dropped, swing his arm overhead, but Rosalie's grip was iron. She twisted in the air, flipping Carlisle across the room before her feet even touched the floor.

He landed on his feet, holding up his hands with perfectly golden eyes.

Rosalie remained between Bella and everyone else. Her stance was low, her black eyes challenging.

"Jasper, Edward."

Though Edward only partially resisted, Jasper hoisted him over his shoulder and bolted out the broken window.

Esme finally stood. "Rosalie, it's okay."

"Rose?" Alice stepped forward.

The growl in her chest grew.

"Bella, don't—"

She touched Rosalie's shoulder.

The vampire spun, pinning Bella against the wall by the throat, though not as hard as Carlisle had.

"Esme, let go!" Alice struggled in her arms.

Swallowing hard, Bella brought her hand up and, tentatively, grasped the wrist at her throat. "Rosalie. It's okay. I'm okay. You're okay." She stared into blackened eyes, almost falling into them, almost falling into the lure of a vampire. "You told me your problem with me, remember?"

Silence made the light rumbling from Rosalie's chest sound louder than it was.

She squeezed the vampire's wrist gently. "Don't you want to know my problem with you, Rosalie?"

Her growl carried over to her voice, uncharacteristically low. "Say yours."

Bella smiled crookedly. "You're perfect."

Rosalie let go of her as if she were fire, stepping back once, blinking. The frown on her brow deepened. Her gaze traveled between Alice, Esme and Carlisle on the other side of the room and Bella by the wall. She stared at Alice's shock for a moment before her shoulders sank and her eyes found the overturned couch.

Carlisle moved, keeping to a human pace. Halfway to them, his gait stuttered when Rosalie twitched. He leaned around Rosalie, keeping himself a few feet away. "Bella, are you afraid of me? Your heart sounds delightful."

Bella glanced at Rosalie before answering him. "Did I almost piss myself? Yes. But afraid o _f_ you? No."

"No?"

She swallowed, ignoring her raging heart. "You wouldn't hurt me. Your family would have to move and Alice would never let go of it. And I can't imagine a vampire who wholeheartedly goes out of his way as a doctor would just up and snap my neck. And well, if you did decide to, tough luck because I can't stop you."

Carlisle nodded once. "I'd absolutely snap your neck to protect my family."

Bella could hear the growl from Rosalie again. "Who wouldn't?"

He partially smiled, as if in approval. "However, I don't see that as necessary. You pose a risk to us, this is true. If you were to be, say, lost, I would lose Alice, I do believe."

"And therefore Jasper?"

"Precisely. And Esme. And Edward. This is a family, and you are a part of it, whether you like it or not. A coven, a family, that rose in your defense." He regarded Rosalie, briefly attempting to catch her gaze. "I confess I did not account for you, and you utilized that well. I simply wanted to make a point to you, but you surprised me, and yourself as well, I think. I am proud of you and understand any time you need to forgive me. You have my sincerest apologies." Carlisle nodded to Esme.

Released, Alice didn't move, she only blankly stared at Rosalie.

Carlisle headed toward the stairs, slicking back his hair. "Alice. Bella. My apologies are also yours."

Esme looked between them before leaving, an almost sad tint to her eyes. "Mine as well."

"I think," Alice said after a minute, "I think I'll leave you two alone."

Bella could only wait a few heartbeats before she considered reaching out to the spaced out vampire. Instead, she rubbed her hands across her jeans. "Rosalie?"

She didn't move.

"Do you need to go eat something?"

She shook her head, just enough for Bella to see it.

"Do you want me to leave you alone?"

At last, black eyes found brown ones. In the pause between the exchange of words, neither felt uncomfortable, even though there was a clear pain within the depths of black eyes.

"No."

* * *

 **A/N:** Sorry, Rose. My hand slipped. Didn't mean to put your business out there like that. Anyway, "Imma fuckin' fight you, Hale" is officially one of my favorite lines I've ever written. I always felt like Carlisle and Esme were underplayed in the series. Absolutely enjoying this story, and I hope you are too. See you guys sooooon.

Guest Reviewers:

RR: Josephine is a fucking bitch, that's who she is. She *spoilers*.

MsCrazybird: Oh myyyyy, let's be wed. But please, no need to offer your sanity. Please accept this chapter as a token of my affection.


	6. Masquerade's End

**A/N:** I was going to say more, but I'm out of my mind tired and about to be swamped and I don't remember what I was going to say right now. So, to address a couple reviews, yes, I can call this a Twilight fic. I don't like reading or writing iterations of characters I've seen dozens of times, I like to explore them and keep their cores. The fight scene was realistically like four seconds, and not even about Bella. But in a few months, after I've torn apart my writing, I'll agree with you and think it poorly written. But right now it's as it should be. My stories aren't for everyone and I welcome criticism. But my god if you really think Carlisle was going to hurt Bella, you are _blind_.

Short chapter is short, but the next two chapters are done so you won't be waiting long. Went over it a few times and I'm just flinging it at you, honestly.

* * *

It seemed Bella understood her trance, or at least excused it, though she appeared to be in her own. No words were needed as they slowly went to her car, and Bella drove. She considered informing the girl that _no one_ drove her cars and that Alice, in fact, simply stole them from time to time, but she decided not to. She shut her eyes, aching to be alone to sort through the mess of her thoughts, of her emotions. And yet, she found herself unwilling to part from Bella's company.

Bella.

Rosalie was once expressive, and that had been the end of her. Even then, in those days, she was in control, but she slipped.

It seemed she slipped at the most important times, or perhaps the worst times.

She'd found it safer to portion out what she thought and felt, and if someone couldn't pick up on it, they were likely a waste of her time. To choose what could be perceived by others… A mask of indifference or irritation enabled her privacy, her safety. Only occasionally did she delude herself.

Recently, she had attempted for her third, grand delusion.

And Carlisle shattered it with such unintentional ease it was laughable.

She could recall everything with absolute clarity, but she'd had no thoughts then. Instinct alone had guided her, had played upon Carlisle's intelligence. Even with whatever Esme had told him about her interactions with the human, he knew the prime characteristic she revolved around. She was stubborn. To believe Carlisle would harm Bella was unlikely for her. But if he did, Rosalie would've deemed it necessary, naturally. Stubbornly. She was against associating with the human—she was practical—naturally. If Carlisle intended to hurt Bella, her family members would've stopped him, persuaded him otherwise, naturally. Even if these things weren't so, Rosalie would prefer to die rather than express that she was concerned about Bella's well-being.

Naturally.

If Carlisle wanted to hurt Bella, he could have, and would have, though Rosalie thought she had a chance of beating him to the girl.

When Carlisle pinned Bella against the wall, it was clear he lacked violent intentions.

So, as Carlisle knew, Rosalie wouldn't even twitch in their direction.

Naturally.

And she hadn't, but fury burned within her at the sight of Bella's treatment and Rosalie simply couldn't stand it anymore. Black rage destroyed any possible thoughts, any logic. There was only the need to protect Bella, to stand between her and any force, even if the price was her life.

Also, naturally.

Nature did not care for pretense, for delusions. It did not lie, and so she could not deny it.

It would be stupid, and Rosalie Hale condemned stupidity.

Still, she felt sick inside. Sick for giving in to the animal within her, the monster, not to mention for a simple demonstration. She'd become more than that, overcome it.

Ringing made Rosalie open her eyes.

"It's Charlie."

Before Bella's fingers were halfway to her phone, Rosalie picked it up. She didn't look at the girl as she answered, and she internally winced at her dead tone. "Isabella Swan's phone, how may I direct your call?"

Bella coughed, suppressing a laugh.

"Put her on the phone."

"I do not believe in being on the phone and driving, so I'm afraid that I can't."

Charlie huffed through the line. "Well, good. Who are you?"

"An underpaid secretary."

It took him a second to respond. "That car better be headin' home because I'll be there in ten. We have words to swap."

Rosalie blinked at the phone after he hung up. "Eyes on the road. It's rude to stare."

"Sorry. Just a little surprised, I guess."

"Regarding?"

Bella turned onto her street, glancing at the stoic vampire. "I didn't expect jokes to be a method of coping for you."

"I do not tell jokes."

"Whatever you say, Aristotle."

They'd been sitting on the couch, a good foot away from each other, in thick silence when Charlie came home a few minutes later. His keys hit the table and slid off. His upset stride halted the moment he saw the guest in the living room.

"Hey, Charlie." Bella waved a little.

Rosalie faced him and offered a tight smile.

Charlie cleared his throat, rubbing his forehead. He pulled the table farther from the couch and sat on it, his eyes bouncing between them, though they never settled on the vampire for more than a second.

Rosalie tried to contain herself the best she could, and resisted the urge to smirk at his discomfort. She inclined her head. "We've never formally met. I'm Rosalie Hale. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Swan. I'd shake your hand but I have a thing about physical contact."

"Carlisle's kid." Charlie nodded sharply. "Nice to meet you, underpaid secretary. Ever try asking for a raise?"

"I'm afraid your daughter is a complete nightmare."

"Hey!"

"It's true." Charlie nodded, looking between them. "Someone wanna tell me why I got a call about my nightmare daughter missing school?"

Bella's eyes hit the floor and any happiness in her expression vanished.

"I noticed she wasn't at school so I decided to make sure she was feeling alright. Unfortunately, I forgot my phone at home and wanted my parents to be able to contact me, so I dragged her to get it with me."

Charlie's brow creased in an intense frown as he refused to look at Rosalie, though her eyes were focused on him. He shifted back, thinking on the soft look his daughter had just given the girl. "And your mom is just okay with you missing school?"

"I told her it was important," she answered firmly, as if daring him to say otherwise.

"Aren't you a senior?"

"Yes."

He scratched at some stubble on his chin. "Bella, what were you planning today?"

"Nothing." Her stomach growled loudly, and she blushed.

"Perhaps lunch," Rosalie said plainly.

He stared at Bella, and then he tapped a finger to her knee. "Go to your room for a minute."

Rosalie didn't meet brown eyes when they cut to her before Bella went upstairs. Instead, her gaze continued to bore into the man in front of her.

Charlie cleared his throat, finally looking into her eyes, though he bounced his leg when he did. "Frankly, I don't know how you met my daughter or why you'd be one to care about her, no offense. She thinks I haven't heard her leave her room to just come down here in the middle of the night, but I'm the police chief."

"So of course you sleep lightly when it comes to a klutz traversing your home."

He shook his head. "That girl sure can bump into things. She just sits here, sometimes without a light on. Looks like she's thinking, but sometimes she reads. This week, though. Just silence and music. Silence and music, day and night. I don't know what to do, I'm not good at these things. But these few minutes, and when I walked in, well she's the lightest I've seen her in a while. And she's never mentioned anyone from school, so imagine my surprise when someone answers my daughter's phone, when I see my daughter in someone's company."

Her gaze flicked down.

He breathed deeper, as if it was easier without her eyes on him. "Just…"

"I understand."

"To be clear, this is the only time this happens. The only time. Don't skip school." Charlie stood, rubbing the back of his neck. "Maybe see if you can convince her to spend time with her friend, Jake, too. He's a good boy."

"Jake."

He turned from her sharp gaze and retrieved his keys, tossing them in the air as he came back over to her. "Yeah. I don't think she's had a boyfriend before, at least not one she's bothered to tell me about and, well, Jake knows I'll shoot him if he hurts my girl." Awkwardly, fidgeting, he glanced at her and left.

Jake. She turned the name over in her mind, her lip curling more as she did. At last, she said it again, venom nearly pooling in her mouth. "Jake."

"What about him?" She flinched when Rosalie's gaze snapped to her. She held up her hands in a T shape. "Oooookay, why do you hate Jake?"

Rosalie regained her composure, rising. "I don't."

"That was terrabad, Aristotle." She watched the vampire's lip curl at her word choice and she waved her hand in the air. "I don't really want to talk about him anyway."

"You're upset with him?"

"No."

Rosalie tilted her head enough for Bella to notice. "Then?"

"I don't know. Judging from our last phone call, I just don't want to go over there."

"Was he rude to you?"

Bella made a face. "No. What'd Charlie want to talk to you about Jake for?"

Rosalie studied her and contemplated Charlie's words. It took all of her effort to not storm up to the girl and demand to know what bothered her and who the hell Jake was. If it weren't for the wakeup call Carlisle had given her, she didn't think she would've been able to keep herself from it. Her chest felt tight. She was a mess.

"You can go if you want."

Gold met brown.

"I'm sorry."

"For what reason?"

Bella ran a hand through her hair before making for her room. "I know you didn't mean to intervene."

But she had. With every ounce of her being, she had. And, strangely, Rosalie couldn't find it in herself to regret it. She felt a sense of liberation in spite of her intense feeling of being lost, as though carried off by a rushing river. Rosalie stopped just behind Bella, head tilted as she watched the girl run a hand through her hair again. The smell of her lilac shampoo washed over her, and she resisted the urge to inhale deeply.

Bella turned, gasping at Rosalie's proximity. Her heart drummed in her chest as she stared up at the vampire inches from her. Dark amber eyes smoldered. She tried to speak and failed, swallowing heavily. Her voice came out as a whisper. "I know you're upset about defending me. I know you don't care for me that much. Doing that… For you, it showed weakness."

"But I absolutely meant it, Isabella. Lost to instinct," Rosalie said quietly, as if louder tones would disrupt them, "Lost to instinct I would've torn even Alice from you. The animal in me came out, and still you stand here. I pinned you to a wall. I could've snapped your neck so easily then, Isabella. Why don't you run from me? What do your instincts say?" She heard her heartrate kick up even more.

"I almost cut my hand open, earlier, at the window. As you stared at me."

Disgust twisted Rosalie's features. "Why?"

"Because," Bella bit her lip for the briefest moment and swallowed. "Because I wanted to see that side of you. The side you think is ugly."

"It is ugly." She drifted away from her, hearing Bella take a sharp intake of breath. Rosalie moved what she recognized to be Alice's jacket on the dresser and lifted her own ruined shirt. "You still have my blouse."

"You still have my shirt."

"Alice burned it."

"You're lying."

The corner of Rosalie's mouth quirked into the beginning of a small smile as she turned the blue fabric over in her hands. "I am."

"So then… why'd you do it?"

She set down her shirt, running her fingers along the dresser to distract herself from her nerves. Her nerves. How odd, for them to be troubling her. She recalled Esme throwing Bella's shirt at her. Rosalie shook her head, both cursing and thanking the woman for shoving her toward the human.

"Rosalie?"

She reminded herself that she condemned stupidity. Still, panic echoed within her, leaving her frozen. If she wasn't a vampire, she would've been shaking.

"What would you say to be where men and angels fall?"

Rosalie cocked her head, both curious and surprised. The human had read her, and knew she needed a reprieve from the conversation, needed to answer on her own terms. For that very reason, she felt a stroke of fear, but its twin, hope, blossomed in her chest. She couldn't remember the last time she'd entertained the concept of hope. "Literally or figuratively?"

"However you prefer."

"I think I would prefer to properly discuss such a question and come to a fitting answer." A proposition, or a dismissal.

"Well, you know where I live." An invitation.

It was an invitation to know each other, as clear of one that wouldn't cause Rosalie to balk, and the vampire had the feeling Bella was very aware of that fact. She heard a small sound from Bella's stomach. "May I take you to lunch?"

"I don't want to impose or bother you. Alice told me human food doesn't smell too good to you guys."

Rosalie at last turned, seeing Bella standing where she left her. "You don't impose."

Bella quirked an eyebrow. "First time I'm at your house, vampires go flying."

Rosalie chuckled, noticing Bella's heart skipped a beat as she did, and she found herself excited by it. Still, she shouldn't fool herself. And yet, the next words out of her mouth contradicted that notion. "For that reason, I insist."

"Well," Bella rubbed the back of her neck, "If you're sure."

"I will also fix your window."

"I was just going to ask Alice if Jasper could, well, honestly I don't know what I was going to ask. I'm sure he's reached his quota of tolerance for me, huh?"

Rosalie waved a hand dismissively. "We'll go drop off my car and get my truck since I also need a door."

"Yeeeaahh, what happened to your front door anyway?" She saw a gold eye twitch. "What in the _hell_ made you break half your door off?"

"Esme."

"I guess it's true moms are terrifying, then."

The casual comment made Rosalie frown internally. "What do you mean?"

"I mean I can't see you doing that. You're too graceful. I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact you can repair something."

"Are you implying I'm useless?" Instantly, Rosalie hated her sharp tongue, but she saw Bella just laughed.

"No, no, just interesting."

As they drove to the Cullen house, Bella touched the radio once. Rosalie couldn't stop replaying Bella's sentence about her being interesting, and the fact she was, realistically, about to spend the day with the human almost made her giddy and nervous.

Almost.

* * *

 **A/N:** Holy fuck, over 100 alerts. I don't know what to do with you guys. I'm so happy to have along whoever wants to be on this ride.

Next stop: A date.

Haha I'm kidding. Maybe.

I need sleep


	7. Interstellar

**A/N:** Hey. Late update. My husky, my best friend, died in my arms on the 25th of May. It's June 13th. I'm only just beginning to comprehend that no, nothing will greet me when I come home. So. That's why no update until now. I'm glad I had this written before that happened because I've barely written anything.

So, here it is. The date.

Just kidding. It's not a date. Or is it? That's not even rhetorical, I don't know if it counts on some level. And if anyone knows of a rad Bellice or Rosella story, please PM it to me because I've been looking without luck. All abandoned.

Btw, I don't know if anyone's noticed, but I really take care naming my chapters and you should totally listen to Telescope by Starset. It inspired this entire story and some chapter titles might click once you listen.

* * *

Rosalie smirked to herself when Bella whistled at the sight of their garage. It was large, she knew, though she still wished for more room. She parked off to the side and got out, not even glancing at Bella. "I'm going to change and find out what Esme would like for the new door. I'll just be a minute."

She momentarily eyeballed the vampire's expensive outfit and looked around herself awkwardly, as if hoping to find something to occupy herself. Bella offered a thumbs up and as she opened her mouth, Alice burst out the house and enveloped her in a hug.

"How are you feeling?"

Bella grunted affirmatively and as strong arms squeezed, her stomach growled.

"Rose!" Alice released Bella to shake a finger at her sister. "Humans have to be fed on a regular basis."

"I know that," Rosalie snapped, glaring.

Unaffected, Alice touched the back of her hand to Bella's forehead and frowned. "You're warm."

"She's _human,_ Alice!"

Bella frowned seriously. "What's the diagnosis, doc?"

A soft breeze announced Esme's arrival and she glanced between the pair and Rosalie curiously. "Did I hear something about my beloved door?"

Alice patted Bella's cheek, somber. "You're dying, I'm afraid."

Bella spun away from them and dropped to her knees, shaking her fists in the air. "Curse you, fate!" As she beat her fist into the ground and pretended to cry, Alice laughed, saying she was silly.

Rosalie rolled her eyes with a sigh. "What do you want?"

Esme looked at her, obviously resisting a smile. "Hmm?"

"For the door. Color, wood, glass in the top center, anything. And what about the window to the living room with an Edward-sized hole in it?"

"Surprise me. Forget the window for now." As Rosalie went to change, Esme shook her head at the two simply laughing away. "You two are as thick as thieves."

Bella waved at her, smiling broadly. "Nice to see you again, Mrs. Alice's mom."

"You really can call me Esme, dear."

Bella shook her head. "Is everyone alright? Jasper? I'm sorry for the ruckus earlier and—" And her stomach went off again, overriding her words.

"Oh my, so that's the monster I heard earlier."

Alice snickered, but Bella grumbled to herself and focused on the ground, kicking some dirt, therefore missing the excitement in Esme's eyes.

"I could cook for you. We can go to the store and I can finally use my kitchen."

"I'm taking her to lunch, actually," Rosalie said as she arrived.

Bella looked up. The sight of Rosalie in dark, beat up jeans and a plain, grey shirt made her stare dumbly.

They all heard her heartbeat pick up.

"Well," Alice said suddenly.

"Yes," Esme agreed, touching Alice's shoulder, "I need your help with some design concepts."

Red tinted Bella's cheeks as the two vampires left faster than she could blink. Her gaze finally found Rosalie's face, a perfectly arched eyebrow adding to her annoyed expression. Bella chuckled nervously and pointed back over her shoulder, at the garage. "Ready?"

Ice filled her tone before she realized it. "Is there a problem with the way I look, Swan?"

Bella raised her eyebrows, eyes darting between the blonde and the house.

Gold eyes rolled. She led the way into the garage and flipped a switch.

"Holy shit." Bella started to look around, to begin to distinguish the absurdly shiny cars, but then it went dark. She jumped when Rosalie grabbed her sleeve and tugged.

"Come on."

"Why'd you turn off the lights?" Bella stumbled over something metal and cursed as it skidded across the floor.

Rosalie smiled in the dark as she continued to lead Bella. "So you don't gawk and waste my time." She steered Bella into the bumper of an old muscle car and almost laughed when the girl cursed loudly this time.

Bella rubbed her thigh. "You're doing this shit on purpose!"

She released the girl's sleeve and unlocked her truck, its lights illuminating the garage in brief flashes. "Get in."

Grumbling, Bella missed the step the first time and then climbed inside. She crossed her arms and sank into the seat as the garage door began to open. As much as she tried not to investigate the truck, her eyes occasionally glanced around at the rich, dark interior.

A smirk pulled at the corner of her mouth while she drove toward the main road. "Like it better than your wreck?"

Bella wiggled herself deeper into the seat. "Nope."

"Are you _mad_ , Isabella?" She heard the girl's heart pick up at her nearly playful tone, and her smirk grew the longer Bella was silent.

"Nope."

It would be cliché to say the world seemed brighter. Terribly cliché. However, she had to admit the monotony of her pointless life felt both less monotonous and less pointless. After making a few turns, she said, rather simply, "Being around you feels so damning."

Then Rosalie stopped breathing. Her sharp tongue had betrayed her in her rare moment of open contentment and she couldn't even consider looking at her passenger. She started to speed a little and she internally cringed at the tightness of her own voice. "What food do you want?"

Bella chewed her cheek, staring out the window. "Don't care. You make this hard."

"I am not the one being difficult. All you have to do is pick a food to shove into your face, as I am sure that is precisely how you eat."

She snorted. "You are absolutely difficult, Hale."

"Not at all."

"Are you implying that you're simplistic?"

Rosalie glared at a stoplight that had been red for far too long. Though, it was possible she only glared because of the girl's jab at her. "Far from it."

Bella jammed her finger into the window. "There. I'll eat a burger."

"Do you do that a lot?"

"Do what?"

"Try to break your finger on windows." Rosalie shifted lanes and summoned a microfiber towel, tossing it into Bella's lap. "Get that smudge off."

"You can barely see it."

" _I_ see it with perfect clarity. Your dirty, human fingers might've left a smudge _your_ dull, human eyes can't see, but I want it off my glass regardless."

"Alright, alright, jeez." Bella wiped circles on the window as Rosalie turned into the parking lot.

"You're missing it."

"Nah," Bella lifted the towel a little, pointing, "See? I'm cleaning up my human stain."

"You are wiping a literal foot away from where you smudged the window."

"You're seeing things, Hale." Studiously, Bella cleaned the same spot.

"Seeing the smudge on my previously pristine window."

"In your memories, because I have taken care of your nemesis, Sinister Smudge."

"Isabella, I swear on my life if you do not clean it this instant."

"Here?" Bella poked the glass. "Or here?" She dragged her finger down slowly.

Rosalie put the truck in park and stared forward, refusing to acknowledge Bella's amused look of pride. "I believe it's an actual possibility that I'll kill you. I may _actually_ kill you. The awe I feel is as undefinable as my annoyance. My irritation has spawned an entire, new galaxy with the sheer intensity of its existence. I don't believe even Emmett made me so inclined to violence so quickly. Even if I don't kill you, I might just slam my head against something and hope it kills _me_."

"Sorry."

She blinked at Bella. "No you're not."

"No, I'm sorry about Emmett."

The vampire watched Bella's gaze drop, likely a response to the sudden distance in her eyes.

"I know we're not close or anything, but I know you were with him and, well, that he's gone now. You have Alice and Esme, I know, but, uh, you can yell things at me if you want to." Awkwardly, Bella mostly fell out of the truck.

She didn't remember sitting across the booth from Bella. Rosalie realized a notch in the table must've held her focus for at least two minutes because a menu rested beside her elbow and Bella had all but vanished behind her own, trying to discern what would satisfy her stomach. Movement caught her eye and a waitress set down two glasses of water, eyeing her oddly.

"She asked you three times what you wanted and you didn't blink. At all."

Rosalie made a small noise of acknowledgment and stared out the window.

"You are also not breathing."

A man chased his dog down the sidewalk as Rosalie forced herself to breathe again, focusing on the rhythmic action. Between her own, honest confession to the girl and the sincere apology offered, she felt disoriented. And that in itself disoriented her further. Rosalie Hale was not one to be at a loss. Yet here she was, as though discarded among the stars, drifting endlessly.

"Why the crooked smile?"

The vampire hummed in question.

"You," Bella said from behind her laminated wall. "Looked like you were smiling at the irony of your demise or something."

Rosalie snorted at the near accuracy of her statement, continuing to gaze out the window, though she didn't really see anything that happened out there. The analogy was a fitting one, and, when she searched the depths of herself, she couldn't find it in herself to regret it.

"Ready, ladies?" The chipper waitress didn't look at Rosalie.

"Gonna need another minute, sorry."

"Alrighty, I'll be back in a minute."

Rosalie glanced at Bella, still engrossed in the options for food. "I thought you were just going to get a burger."

"Well, that was before I saw choices. Every meal is precious."

"One would think you would pick the first thing you see. I can't imagine how you can be picky when it sounds like you have an angry dog in your stomach. You are wasting my time."

Bella huffed.

That. That alone, if she were to be completely honest with herself, that charmed her. It nearly made her frown. Not only was the girl unfazed by her often icy demeanor and words, but there was something in her relaxed nature that appealed to Rosalie. Not to mention she was quick to fire back at Rosalie's ice, effortlessly. She even appeared to enjoy getting a rise out of the vampire, not truly minding when Rosalie herself pushed and prodded her buttons in return. Or else, why would they be sitting here now? In casual silence? Rosalie shut her eyes. Silence. Around Bella, she was never pushed, and it relieved her to not fret over every detail and nuance of control. What a wonder, a terrifying, beautiful wonder to be read so easily by the human in front of her.

"You look nice."

Gold eyes cut to Bella, still hidden behind her menu. She cocked her head, a crease on her brow.

Bella set down her menu, blinking at Rosalie's inquiring eyes. "Uh, you… look nice, I said." But she'd spoken it like a question, as though worried she'd offended the blonde.

"I look nice," Rosalie repeated flatly.

"Well, yes."

Rosalie broke eye contact. "No one's ever said that before. My apologies for making you uncomfortable." She heard the distance in her tone as she ran through her memories, double and triple checking her claim.

"Uh, have they seen you?"

"Beautiful. Gorgeous. Sexy." Rosalie ticked the words off on her fingers, a cynical twist to her expression. "Probably a dozen other synonyms, but never the word you used. Especially not while in something so simple." It was true, and somehow that made it more of a compliment than any she'd received before.

As a red tint took over Bella's face in spite of her frown, the waitress arrived again, pen at the ready. "How about now?"

After blinking at her dumbly, Bella wordlessly pointed at her choice.

The woman whisked away their menus after vaguely glancing at Rosalie. She felt Bella's eyes on her, but adamantly kept her attention out the window.

Bella fidgeted with a napkin, opening and closing her mouth before biting her lip.

"It's hard to believe Edward told you about us a little over a month ago. A month." Rosalie propped her chin up on a fist, continuing to prefer looking outside. "It feels as though so much more time has passed. So much has changed."

"Unlike this weather," she mumbled.

"Thank you."

"What?"

Rosalie's attention drifted over, though she didn't look into Bella's eyes. She watched the girl shred her napkin for a moment, contemplating stopping her, as her hand had twitched to do. Naturally. She reminded herself that she condemned stupidity, and yet her hand remained in place. "Thank you. For the compliment."

"Oh." Bella cleared her throat. "Just being honest."

"You won't have a napkin if you keep doing that."

The brunette looked down, dropping the item and sliding it closer to the wall. "Thanks." She met Rosalie's gaze for a second, then looked around the diner. "Why'd you make Charlie so uncomfortable?"

"Because of what I am."

"Yeah, but it seemed a little rude."

Rosalie cocked her head. She waved a few fingers in Bella's vision to ask for her attention. "I did not do anything purposely. Actually, I attempted to contain myself as much as I could."

Brown eyes stayed on Rosalie's hands folded in front of her for a heartbeat. They jumped to gold eyes. "So why did he look ready to shoot you?"

"Regardless of guise, an animal recognizes their predator. They might not be able to locate the threat, but the anxiousness sets in, especially at close proximity. The heart beats faster, logic falls further back to make room for instinct, for reflex. Muscles tense and eyes dart to and fro, searching for any warning signs, searching for ways to escape." A small, amused hum came from Rosalie as she looked down at the table, her hair falling forward. "Instinctually, naturally, he fears me. And he's right to do so. I am… quite the predator."

It took Bella a few seconds to respond, and when she did, it was quiet. "I don't feel that way with you."

Rosalie didn't look up. "My theory is that you are defective."

"You have a way with words," Bella mumbled.

The waitress came, nearly dropping Bella's plate. For as long as she dared, she glanced at Rosalie and gave Bella a hurried offer of waving her down if she needed something else. She almost tripped getting away from them.

As Bella picked up a fry, Rosalie spoke softly. "That is how you should be. I am perfectly designed to kill you. To tantalize, and to destroy."

"Yet here I am."

"Yet here you are."

Bella chewed her burger, gazing out the window. A quick look told her Rosalie still focused on the table. "You can hiss and curse me if you want, but, well, is that why you don't look at anything reflective? Because you only see something designed to destroy, and only in that way perfect?" As odd as it was, she watched Rosalie's still chest for any signs of possible breathing, and anxiety began to creep up her throat with cold, thick fingers. She tried to swallow it down. "Is that, is that why you reacted that way, why you snapped out of predator mode, when I said you're perfect?"

Rosalie closed her eyes.

Either it was a trick of her eyes from staring so intensely, or Bella saw her twitching, as if it were the vampire equivalent of shaking. She knew Rosalie heard her heart thundering in her chest and she swallowed again, but her voice cracked regardless. "I meant it."

After a while, Bella had accepted that Rosalie wasn't going to say anything else. She ate her food in the silence, nearly choking when the blonde shifted.

With absolute pretense, Rosalie faced the window.

When she finished eating, Bella waved down her waitress, a sympathetic smile on her face at the sight of the woman's jittery distress.

They both jumped when Rosalie moved. She snatched Bella's money from the air and turned her hand over, extending a card to the waitress between two fingers. Still, she gazed out the window.

Again, the woman scurried away.

"Why'd you do that? And you _know_ you moved too fast." Bella crossed her arms, refusing the cash Rosalie held out to her.

She deposited Bella's money in front of her. "I said I was taking you to lunch, Isabella."

* * *

Aside from a few grumpy words from Bella, they hadn't exchanged words. Bella trailed behind the vampire as they entered the home improvement store and she eyed the large, slotted cart Rosalie selected. She navigated the aisles with ease, not looking at their labels.

"It's rude to stare."

Bella's head jerked up to see Rosalie's shoulders. If she had been religious, she would've thanked any god at all that Rosalie couldn't see where her eyes had been, nor the blush taking over her face. "Sorry. You just seem so out of place, but in place?"

Rosalie briefly looked over her shoulder. "Has anyone ever told you that you are a complete doofus?"

Bella made a noise as Rosalie slowed, looking around the large section full of doors. "That's pretty far out your dictionary, Aristotle."

"My dictionary is vast, Isabella. I'm not certain that's something you can wrap your small mind around."

Bella stuck her tongue out, but her grumpiness immediately vanished at the scandalized look Rosalie gave her. She laughed so loudly that some passerby looked at her like she was crazy. "You okay?"

Rosalie straightened, walking over to a set of doors with glass designs. "Even though I am stuck with the company of a rather uncouth person, I suppose I shall live."

Bella followed. She rolled her eyes as she browsed the selection of doors. "Just say the word and I'll leave." When she didn't get an immediate response, brown eyes traveled up, surprised to see gold eyes staring back with something vaguely resembling panic. "Hey," she said softly.

Rosalie went back to examining doors.

Bella did the same until her phone rang. Shrugging, she answered the unknown number. She pulled it away from her ear slightly. "Alice, how'd you get my number?"

"Edward," Rosalie muttered.

Bella didn't pay her any mind. "Of course you got it from Edward. Is he hovering behind you, looking constipated?"

Rosalie snorted.

"That's surprising." Bella walked away a little, opting to fiddle with their cart and putting a foot on it to see if it could hold her weight. "Yes, I have been fed. Alice, I'm not a stray puppy, you know." She laughed. "No, Rosalie hasn't threatened to eat me. Everything's good." Bella spun around to catch Rosalie's attention, and she frowned. "What do you mean, get you a gift?"

Gold eyes rolled.

"Alice—Wait—Alice, I'm hanging up now."

Though Bella didn't see it, Rosalie had selected a door and her grip on it slipped for a second.

"I love you too, Alice. I—No—Alice—Bye, Alice."

With practiced ease, Rosalie slid the door onto the cart.

"Oh, cool, what'd you pick?" Bella squatted, turning her head to get a look at the image on the box. Her head jerked up, finding gold eyes on her, expectant. "Why this one?"

"You seemed to like it and it's not entirely atrocious." She started pulling the cart.

Bella followed absently, her mind on the deep color of the wood and the beautiful, green tinted window the door had in the shape of a diamond.

"If there were less people and it was close to closing, I'd ask if you want to stand on the cart."

"Oh." Then, quietly, "Dammit, Swan."

Rosalie had the decency to pretend she hadn't heard and turned down another aisle, approaching windows.

"I don't know the size of my window."

"Your human eyes wouldn't."

Bella scoffed. "I wanna get something, I'll be back."

"Is it for that hideous, peeling wallpaper in your kitchen?"

"Yeah, it bothers Alice."

"It bothers her, but it makes me wish I was dead. Aisle 8, double sided tape, a few millimeters thick and an inch wide."

As she walked away, Rosalie shook her head, sighing. At least Bella had the sense to not trot around a store full of things that could kill her. For a moment, she nearly laughed at the irony of it. The girl happily spent time with vampires. Rosalie continued down the aisle, well aware of a man staring at her. He was perhaps in his late 20s, over dressed for the store he was in, and his short beard was well-kept.

His expression made her eyes darken, just a little.

"Need some help, miss?"

She kept on, as if he hadn't spoken. Near the end of the aisle, she stopped, contemplating a particular set of glass. This one had the right thickness to it.

"Miss?" He came over to her, sliding his phone into his pocket. "I asked if you needed some help."

Resolutely, she stared at the glass in front of her and specifically spoke just loud enough for him to hear. "And I hoped you could take a hint."

"You know, you must need a new boyfriend if he won't pull that cart around for you. Shame, really. You shouldn't even have to be here."

"Really."

"Of course," he said, smiling even though he kept running his hands across his sleeves. "Name's Daniel. See, I think you should be in better places."

"And where is it I should be?"

"A town with a name. I'm here for a contract, and you know what? I stay in hotel suites that make this place look like a homeless shelter. Five stars, everywhere I go. I can get you a deal. I know plenty of photographers. Just let me take you out. I—"

"Hey, man," Bella cut him off, trotting over to them. "Fuck off."

He gave her a brief look of disgust before stepping closer to Rosalie. "See, this is what I mean. You—"

Bella didn't seem to notice he stood an entire foot taller than her as she grabbed his arm and spun him around. "I could hear you spouting shit on the other end of the aisle, man. Get lost."

He sneered down his nose and dusted off his sleeve. "I do not believe I was talking to you. If you'll excuse me, I have business to attend to."

"Your business is going to be a fucking hospital if you don't get the hell away from me right now. My stress alone makes me want to skin someone, so, seriously, fuck off."

He recoiled and strode away from her without a glance to Rosalie. "Fucking psychotic."

"I've noticed girls have to seem insane for some men to leave them alone."

Bella rubbed the back of her neck, coming up beside Rosalie. "Sometimes you gotta make a point. I didn't want you to make one, so I did."

Rosalie turned to her, tilting her head.

Bella sighed, her shoulders sinking as she did. "I didn't even see your face and I knew your eyes were black. You were so stiff and I—"

"You're twitching."

Her brow furrowed. "I'm fucking pissed, Rosalie."

"Don't be. It happens." She returned her eyes to the glass she'd selected and lifted it into the cart.

"Well, I don't have to like it and you don't have to take it. Seriously. Just snap him in half or something. I won't tell anyone."

"I used to be rather theatrical." When Bella looked at her quizzically, she simply pulled the cart toward the front of the store.

Of course, Bella had protested her paying for the tape, and Rosalie let it go. She'd offered to help load their things into the truck, but Rosalie hadn't accepted that. Thankfully, Bella hadn't offered to help with installing the window. Neither of them wanted an accident. At the thought, Rosalie paused in her collection of the broken glass in Bella's room. The girl had admitted to wanting to cut open her own hand, just to see a part of Rosalie, whether or not it got her killed. That, combined with so many other things, some of them small, some of them drastic, led Rosalie to one conclusion.

And she cursed Esme for it because she had no one else to curse for it. She would've been content to continue her life of pretense, but even as the thought crossed her mind, she knew it to be false. Rosalie hadn't looked forward to anything in a long time, nor had she really dreaded much of anything.

She dreaded the end of her day with Bella.

She looked forward to seeing Bella again.

The girl made her so damned mad.

Rosalie Hale condemned stupidity. Even still, she couldn't even let the word enter her thoughts. It was forbidden for her, and, in all reality, terrifying. Yet the word pressed against her disoriented mind, pressed against wild emotions she didn't know she was capable of. The word screamed in her senses, pointed at the ruins of the control she had long ago perfected.

The memory of coming between Bella and Carlisle flashed into her mind.

Rosalie adopted haste, and made short work of cleaning up and replacing the glass she had broken.

Composed, Rosalie descended the stairs with the grace becoming a vampire had given her. She regarded Bella, who stood on the counter and fought with tape and old wallpaper. "Trouble?"

"Trouble? Never. Just giving you time to finish." She shifted her weight. "Did you finish?"

"Yes."

Bella fidgeted, looking away from her. "Well, I'm almost done."

Rosalie waited.

Glancing at the stationary vampire, Bella leaned back to examine her handiwork as she pulled some stray tape off her sleeve. "Does it still make you want to die?"

"It's tolerable. What's impressive is that you climbed up there without a concussion."

"We both know you heard me kick over that pot." Bella loosely pointed at it, by Rosalie's feet. She started to crouch down and bumped her head on the wall behind her. "You jinxed me," she mumbled.

Rosalie's hand twitched toward her, but it stayed by her side, as if she thought better of helping Bella.

Bella seemed unfazed by it and hopped down. In the same second her feet hit the floor, she yelped and lifted her right foot, cringing. "Fuuuuck. I hate doing that."

A long sigh escaped Rosalie. "How did you possibly manage to hurt yourself?"

"I've missed three entire steps before, but I step down one or off a chair, or a _counter_ , it seems, and I apparently do it wrong sometimes because the balls of my foot start screaming at me." She tested setting it down and tenderly put some weight on it.

"Remarkable."

"Whatever. You jinxed me, Hale."

"I believe breathing itself jinxes you, Swan."

"Whatever." Bella leaned against the counter, looking off at nothing for a minute. "So why'd you intervene?"

Wordlessly, Rosalie stepped forward a little and gently removed a piece of tape from mahogany locks.

"Oh." Traitorously, Bella's cheeks began to heat up as Rosalie stepped back again. "Thanks."

"Why don't you run from me?"

Bella sighed irritably. "You make this hard."

Rosalie looked away.

"I told you why I don't run."

"I don't believe it's much of an explanation."

"Rosalie."

She turned to Bella, hearing the girl's heart begin to kick up. A thousand shades of brown stared at her, waiting. A thousand shades of brown had already looked away once when Rosalie refused this question before. In the depths of those eyes, there stood a wall. Distance. She wanted to tear it down, to perceive everything a thousand shades of brown could offer. Rosalie held out her hand. "I… would like to know you, Isabella."

She accepted Rosalie's hand and fought off a shiver as she nearly fell into amber eyes. They shared a firm grip without the need of asserting dominance, or the worry of it. "You can call me Bella."

"Bella," Rosalie said softly. She released Bella's hand slowly, her eyes never leaving brown ones as their fingers grazed against each other.

She swallowed, and her face went scarlet when she tried and failed to speak. Bella's voice came out low and tentative, a gentle question in her tone. "Rose."

The vampire left before her eyes could begin to darken.


	8. Before Shadows Wake

**A/N:** Forgive me if I owe you a PM. I don't know where my time goes. I just stare at documents and my notebooks and not much happens too. Basically, my depression is obscene. Lol. So forgive that. I miss my furbaby. Good thing I had this already written, heh.

But, uh. Seriously wow on the reviews, favorites and follows. I consider this to be my best, worst work. I don't write modern stories lol So thanks for giving this a chance.

* * *

Fleeing Bella's house, she had nearly forgotten her truck. Fleeing. Rosalie had _fled_ without there being danger. Not that she really fled from anything.

Though, that just made it worse.

Rosalie sighed, swinging the door off the bed of her truck and walking to the front of the house.

She was a mess.

Darting off to gather some tools, she returned and briefly considered the half of a door in front of her, hanging off its hinges. Her lips twitched in a faint desire to smile.

"What do you like, dear Rosalie?"

The sound of Edward's smooth voice deflated her mood. She exhaled slowly. Of course this conversation would come, but she hadn't expected it immediately. But then, who would he be? "Breaking doors, dear Edward." She looked him in the eyes. "I enjoy the feel of things shattering around me."

He reclined against the railing, unperturbed. "Your mind gives me a headache on a regular basis, but lately I find you to be rather… impossible."

"If you have a curiosity to resolve, perhaps you should ask." Rosalie began removing the ruined door, and she saw no one in the house. She could hear them, however. Too well. They were trying to respect the conversation, more than Edward did, as he of course couldn't lift a finger to help a lady even though he'd assert he was a perfect gentleman. Although, to be fair, she'd break off the offered finger.

"You have a tendency to leave questions unanswered."

"What, someone says 'no' so you simply take what you want?" Rosalie didn't have to see him to know her words had cut deep. Her words always cut, but those had been sharpened with allusion and his own character.

"Rosalie," he said at last, "I only wish to thank you."

Gold eyes rolled as she cast the ruined wood over the rail, likely only just missing Edward. "What a surprise. This began as an interrogation, it seemed."

"Forgive my misstep in words."

"Of course, dear brother." Rosalie barely restrained from twisting the last word as if it were a curse. She started installing the new door, and the silence lasted until she finished. The deep brown of the natural wood accented the white of the house well and its window would probably sparkle like a green gem in the right light.

"That new door is rather… simple, don't you think, Rosalie?"

Finally, she stood, regarding him for the first time, a small frown on her face. "You don't think it's an improvement?"

A smooth, insincere smile came to his face. "I don't blame you for it, of course. Esme and Alice have a better eye for design and I'm certain you're tired from earlier."

Shaking her head a little, she clicked her tongue. "I'll be sure to inform Bella that you believe she has horrible taste."

"Excuse me?" Edward stepped closer to her, head cocked.

She contemplated the door again. "I thought it would be a nice gesture, having a door that Bella likes."

He straightened, locking his hands behind his back. He cleared his throat. "I see you've taken to her nickname. Have you had conversations with her most days as I have, or am I thinking of something else?"

"Oh, no." Rosalie waved her hand flippantly, "Of course not. Interrogating her is your forte, not mine. I took her to lunch and brought her along when I went to purchase a replacement door." In the silence, she glanced at him, adopting a concerned look. "Are you feeling alright, brother?"

He smoothed a hand through his hair, breathing again. "Of course. I suppose I have to thank you for that as well."

"What is it you're thanking me for initially? You rambled instead of actually expressing gratitude."

Edward chuckled, clasping his hands behind his back once more. "Thank goodness for your _endless_ patience. I wish to thank you for supporting me."

"Supporting you."

"I may digress often, but you have the habit of stating questions, you know."

"The difference being that mine is not a flaw."

He smiled again. "I always enjoy your wit. Anyway, yes, your support. You showed Bella that she is welcome here. And before, you stopped me from doing something I'd regret and possibly scaring dear Bella away."

"I imagine you would've killed her first."

Edward grimaced, and then it was gone. "Even though you doubt me, you show your love by supporting me regardless." He stepped forward, holding out his hands.

Accepting his hands, she maintained an indifferent expression.

He squeezed gently. "My condolences about your failed relationship. I am sure it hurts to your core, so it means so much more that you support me now that I've found my mate."

Rosalie smiled perfectly, as her control allowed. She returned his squeeze equally, as her control allowed. While a genuine smile began to form on his face, Rosalie dropped his hands, quirking her eyebrow in mock concern. "How can you recognize such a beautiful, loving bond with such certainty, dear brother?"

His smile only faltered a little. "I need her. I need her more than I could ever need anything."

"Interesting that you, you who fancies himself soulless can delude yourself into thinking you love the very thing you will only ever consider prey."

She turned on her heel before the anger could break his face. She smiled openly as she drifted to her room, a primal sound reaching her ears before the sound of Edward running to hunt again.

Rosalie Hale's words always cut.

* * *

A faint noise provoked an involuntary groan from Bella.

It came louder, announcing itself as knocking.

"No one's home," she grumbled.

"You decent?"

It occurred to her that no, a vampire was not knocking on her head again. She made a noise that she hoped sounded positive. Or should it have been negative?

The door opened and heavy footsteps stopped at the side of her bed. A hand shook her shoulder. "Bells."

"No, God, I'm not ready. Don't take me."

A deep snort came from above her. "Now, Bells, you know that's not funny. Get up."

She grumbled something into her pillow.

"What?"

"Time."

The side of the bed dipped under his weight. "It's a little before ten."

"Noooooooooo." For a moment, she thought he would respect her wishes, but then she felt a hand stroking her hair a little too hard. It didn't pull or anything, it was just an unpracticed motion for a heavy hand.

"I, I regret not experiencing this before."

Bella shared his awkwardness, so she just decided to be honest. "A gruff, grumpy voice isn't too bad a start for my Sunday."

"You listen to yourself talk a lot?" He returned his hand to his lap.

"Hey!" Bella rolled over, swatting him in the chest with her pillow.

His eyes shined as he deflected her attacks. "Sometimes I think I have a son in the mornings."

"Ugh. Whatever." Bella got up, taking time to throw her pillow at him before heading to the bathroom.

Around ten minutes later, she nearly tripped down the stairs.

"Ready, Bella?"

"Name's Jason," she said in a deeper voice.

He laughed a little. "Put on some shoes."

By the time Bella obliged, she had to go outside to find Charlie. She climbed into his cruiser. "So what am I ready for? Why no food? Why so early? Why aren't you working today?"

He huffed. "You ever think about following in my footsteps? You ask a lot of questions."

"No. I can't commit to anything in the morning."

"It's a wonder you go to school." At a stoplight, he glanced at her. "Speaking of—"

She groaned.

"Speaking of," he said again, "No more skipping school."

"I know." Bella rolled her eyes out the window at his awkward silence. She really was his daughter. "Yes, I feel better."

He grunted.

Content to stare out the window and drift closer to sleep, Bella belatedly realized where they were going. Her head hit the glass softly. "Charlie, nooooo."

"Bella, you can't keep dodging Jake."

"Not when you kidnap me and deliver me to him, no, I can't."

Charlie smiled so largely his eyes crinkled in the corners. "You're a minor. I can take you where I feel like."

"You're hitting serial killer territory," she mumbled against the window.

After some groaning, maybe more than one threat if she didn't get out the cruiser and a few awkward reintroductions at La Push, Bella found herself standing in front of Jacob.

"Your hair is long," she said dumbly.

He touched it with a nervous chuckle. "Yeah, I guessed I could try the look. What do you think?"

Squinting, Bella looked down at him for so long that his smile faded. "I have an idea, and I'll bring it next time."

"An idea?"

"Yup." She stuck her hands into the pockets of her hoodie. "So what are we doing?"

Jacob shrugged too quickly. "Whatever you want."

Internally, Bella screamed a little. It was too early for this. She looked around, actually enjoying the lack of concrete. Of course, her father had vanished already, and she was stuck here for who knows how long. "Hey, why was Billy looking at me like I had a dozen heads?"

"Ah, it's nothing."

"Liar." Brown eyes briefly contemplated Jacob's house, but she didn't want to chance too much awkwardness with him. Suddenly, she pointed at the garage. "Wanna go sit?"

"Garages aren't for _sitting_."

"You say that, but I was going to see if I could fall asleep with you noticing."

His nose crinkled. "Why?"

"Tell me what time it is, Jake. Tell me."

He issued a long-suffering sigh as he went to open the garage. "Not even noon. Really, I thought you would've grown out of that, Bella."

She rested her hand atop his head until he glared. "You'll understand when you grow up, Jakey."

He turned, flicking on the light and messing with a couple of bottles on a workbench to hide his blush. "I'm not a kid, Bella. You're not much older than me."

"You're fifteen and I wouldn't be surprised if I had to fucking crane my neck to look up at you by the time summer comes." She sighed, staring at a decrepit motorcycle.

Jacob came up beside her, glancing at her. "You okay?"

"Yeah. Just haven't accepted that you won't be cute forever."

"Hey!" He bumped shoulders with her. "I'll be cute even in my wheelchair."

"I'll roll you off a cliff." She smiled when Jacob laughed. "Then I'll probably fall off it, knowing my luck."

"Probably. You like it?"

"Cliff deaths?"

He rolled his eyes, shaking his head a little. "The bike. You're so morbid."

"Jake, I honestly don't even know what I'm looking at."

"Billy says I can drive it when I'm sixteen."

"Pretty sure that was a joke."

"No," he crouched next to it, picking off a loose fleck of paint, "I'll fix it. And, uh, I can probably find another one, if you like it."

She held up her hands. "I'd kill myself, not even on purpose."

Jacob's gaze dropped. "Yeah, you're right."

Though she knew she'd regret this decision, his sadness just didn't sit well with her. "You fix it, though, and I'll hop on with you."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Did you decide what you wanna do?"

Bella snorted.

"Oh, come on!"

"I'm cool to just sit with you, Jake."

He shifted from foot to foot, not noticing that she smiled when he did. "Didn't seem that way when you ignored my calls."

"I wasn't _ignoring_ you, I—"

"I'm not stupid, Bella."

She sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I've just been shitty." Arms encircled her and she stiffened. As he began to squeeze, Bella finally moved, tentatively embracing him. He didn't let go and she relaxed, closing her eyes. It was odd, but not uncomfortable. He gave another squeeze, hard this time, as if to let her know she wasn't alone, but it was nothing like being hugged by Alice. The vampire smelled sweet like a flower that only bloomed at night with undertones of crisp air, but Jacob had a comforting mix of heat and earth after rain.

"You smell kinda odd," he mumbled into her shoulder.

"Were we really just sniffing each other like creeps?"

Jacob released her with an awkward laugh and stepped away. "Yeah, I guess."

She sniffed her hoodie. "What do you mean, odd?"

His eyebrows knitted together as he thought for a second. "I don't know. You don't smell bad or anything, just… weird. I don't even know that smell." He shrugged.

Bella returned his shrug and sat on a crate. "Well, let's catch up?"

He pulled up a crate and started talking.

It was almost an hour before their conversation went off the rails.

"You should fight her."

"What," Bella laughed, "You want me to fly to Arizona and fight her?"

"Yeah! Her and her whole bitch crew!"

"Jake, I'm not going to fight them. They'd probably taze me. I can't fight, anyway."

"What'd Josephine give you shit for, anyway?"

Bella leaned back, looking away.

Jacob lightly punched her knee. "Another time?"

"Yeah," she smiled. "But back up. You glossed over everything so quick—"

"They're just stories, Bella."

"Dude, hold on, how did, uh, what's her name? The third wife? How'd she save the Wolves from their enemy?"

Jacob sighed. "She stabbed herself in the heart."

Reaching for her soda, Bella nearly slipped off her crate. Her voice came out louder than she intended. "What?"

"She distracted the," he paused, sighing again, "the Cold One."

Bella choked on her soda and it took a few pats from Jacob for her to breathe properly again. "The Cold One?"

"The Blood Drinkers. The Cold Ones. The enemies of the Wolves. So says our legends."

She stared at him. "Holy shit."

"They're just stories, Bella, relax." He took an annoyed gulp of his soda. "And Billy believes in it too much. That's why he looked at you like that. Because he and Sam know you started to hang with the Cullens."

Bella let her soda slip from her fingers.

"You are _so_ clumsy, Bella."

She cursed, picking it up and wiping her hands on her jeans, glad to have distracted Jacob from any reaction she had on her face. She frowned deeply. "What does Sam have to do with anything? Or the Cullens?"

Jacob's nose crinkled. "He goes around shirtless with his 'pack' and they 'take care of us.' They're just punks."

"And the Cullens?" Bella hoped she didn't sound off.

He shrugged. "They say the Cullens moved back, like basically all of them. As in, they lived here forever ago and didn't age. How crazy is that?" His question ended in a small laugh.

"So fucking crazy," Bella laughed with him, standing. "Wanna go for a walk?"

A soft smile came to Jacob's features. "Oh, is it finally past noon?"

They traded insults all the way to the woods, though it eventually gave way to comfortable silence as they walked between the trees.

Then, "So, Bella?"

She grunted, stumbling over a large root.

He caught her arm, steadying her, but he didn't let go. "Which Cullen do you spend time with instead of me?"

She rolled her eyes, lightly shaking him off. "Jake, where am I right now?"

"With me."

"Okay then." She paused to lightly trace some grooves in the bark of a tree. "It's more like kidnapping anyway," she mumbled, mostly to herself.

"You don't want to hang with them?"

Bella jumped, shoving his shoulder. "You were practically in my ear!"

"You made that face, the one where you're thinking to yourself and going to say something relevant, but all quiet and stuff."

"Creep."

"Yeah, you are." They started walking again. "You don't like them?"

"It's not like that." Bella chewed the inside of her cheek. "Hanging out with Alice is like being dropped face-first into a hyper river and getting taken along for the ride."

Jacob hummed. "Which one's Alice?"

"She's got short hair that just goes everywhere and she's pint-sized. I mean it, I don't think she clears five feet. Alice has a good eye," Bella chuckled, "And she likes to apply it to fashion. She has enough energy to rival the sun, I bet."

"You're smiling."

She could feel it now that he pointed it out, and she just smiled a little wider. "She has that effect on me."

"You sound like you like her a lot."

Her gait slowed at his tone and she looked to him. "You would, too."

"Bella, I—"

Her shriek cut him off as she walked into something and flailed, falling backward.

"Sam!"

Bella didn't pay attention to Jacob's angry words, instead choosing to examine her left wrist. It had landed awkwardly on a root and moving it the slightest in any direction made her wince.

"Quiet, Jacob."

Bella stood, holding her wrist and glancing between the two.

As Jacob opened his mouth, Sam held up a hand, eyes solely on Bella. "It isn't smart to walk with Cold Ones."

"Enough with your damn stories, man!"

Still, Sam's gaze burned into Bella. "Please, do not betray my people. Unlike them, we are sworn to protect. It is dangerous to walk with them."

Bella looked down at her wrist. "Whatever, man."

Sam gave her one last look before he left.

Jacob cursed into the woods after him. His face went scarlet when he finally turned to her, seeing her swelling wrist. "I'll kill him."

"Calm down, Jake." Bella started walking back. "Come on, let's go."

He took a long breath, letting it out slowly. "I think we have some ice packs at the house."

"Will you be upset if I bail? Knowing my luck, I wanna get this looked at. It's hell to move it at all."

Jacob shook his head. "As long as you're okay."

"Shit."

"What now?"

"I don't want to ruin Charlie's day." Bella fished her phone out of her pocket.

"I can take you."

It was almost a plea, and it made Bella's heart drop a little. "I don't want to ruin your day either, Jake."

He sighed, absently brushing his fingers against a tree as they walked.

Bella put her phone to her ear, unsurprised to hear Alice's happy voice on the first ring.

"Hellooooo, missing me?"

Bella chuckled. "Can you take me to the hospital? Or wherever Carlisle is if he's not there."

Jacob looked up when Bella pulled her phone away at the sudden volume of Alice's voice and the faint sound of breaking glass.

"What happened? How bad is it?"

Bella frowned at the panic in her tone. "Just kinda hurt my wrist is all. It's not serious, I think it's just sprained, but I just want Carlisle to check it. I have shit luck and it hurts worse than I've ever done so I wouldn't be surprised if there was any fracturing or something. Knowing me, I'm sure you're not surprised."

It took a minute for Alice to say something, and Bella had to strain to hear it.

"I didn't see it."

"Alice?"

"Bella, I don't see you at all."

Her words made Bella feel sick, though her tone was worse. Hollow. Alice never sounded hollow. Absently, she noticed they were almost breaking through the tree line and she looked back, seeing Jacob trail behind her, lost in his mind. "Alice?"

There was faint rustling, then a new voice. "Isabella, where are you?"

The tension in Rosalie's voice didn't make Bella feel any better. She could swear she heard hushed yelling in the background. "Uhm, I'm at La Push."

Silence.

"Breathe," Bella whispered, and though she barely heard herself, she knew the vampire processed it perfectly.

"Can you get off the reservation? To a large bend in the road? You'll know which one I mean. I'll probably get there by the time you do."

Bella turned, tucking the phone out of habit, "Can you take me part of the way?"

Jacob nodded.

Bella spoke into her phone again. "I'll be there."

They didn't have to work hard to avoid Charlie or Billy, considering the two had some quality time to catch up on. As Bella was beginning to regret telling Jacob that she could get in the truck by herself, a hand appeared in her vision.

"Need help?"

Bella looked up into Sam's eyes.

His voice remained flat. "My temper gets the best of me and I should've cared more about your hand. I'm sorry to have caused you pain."

"You pop up like a fucking serial killer." Bella climbed into the truck using his arm as support, though she purposely shoved against it with all her weight and he didn't budge. It was done in a mix of spite and curiosity, but strangely, she didn't feel satisfied after.

* * *

For some reason, it didn't surprise Bella that Alice was the one waiting for her. She smiled weakly at the vampire as she got out of the truck. Alice's pep was wrong, forced, and it set off Bella's nerves.

She moved to Bella a little too fast, but it could've been attributed to concern, and didn't hesitate to take Bella's good hand. Dark gold eyes focused on her red wrist. "Can you move it at all?"

Bella tried again as Jacob got out the truck. "Itty bit. Hurts more than I'd like." When Alice bit her lip, Bella squeezed her hand. "Stop worrying so much."

"Something could've happened to you and I—"

"I'm not going anywhere, ol' Alice Balice."

A small, genuine smile took over Alice's lips. "Belly Bells."

Bella smiled back.

Jacob cleared his throat.

She leaned around Bella. "Thank you. I should really get going."

"Yeah," he said roughly. "Alice, right?"

"A pleasure to meet a friend of Bella."

"Jacob." He rubbed his hands on his pants. "Take care of her, alright?"

Alice nodded, lightly pulling Bella's arm. "With my life."

"Bye, Jake," Bella called over her shoulder.

"Bye, Bella."

Fussing with being assisted into the red BMW, Bella huffed. As Alice went to the driver's side, Bella waved at Jacob and frowned at his jerky wave.

"What'd you do? What happened?"

Bella gripped the door as Alice took off. Her eyes darted between the vampire's stiff posture and the road. "I don't know if I'd be more or less freaked out by you not pretending you're fine."

Alice didn't even look at her.

"What do you mean you didn't see me?"

The steering wheel squeaked when her grip tightened.

"Pull over."

"I wasted enough time already. I should've just put you in the car the moment I saw you."

"I said to pull over."

Alice slowed upon reaching more frequented streets. "It can wait."

"I am _worried_ about you, Alice." She heard her voice rising and sighed. "Talk to me."

"I couldn't see you. Do you know what that means?"

Bella shifted.

"If I can't see you, anything can happen to you."

She had to strain to hear Alice.

"And I won't be there. I could lose you. You'd die because of me."

Bella mentally cursed her wrist for keeping her from even touching Alice. She stared at her instead. "If so, I would've _lived_ so long because of you."

Alice looked at her, eyes shining.

* * *

"I believe you nearly fractured it. The medicine will help with any residual pain, but you should have full use in a few days aside from bruising. Just take it easy."

"You sound so amused," Bella mumbled. She sat on the edge of the hospital bed and cradled her now-wrapped up wrist.

Carlisle smiled. "Habit, I suppose. Now then, about your lack of seeing." He turned to Alice.

She looked away from the closed door of the room, blinking. "I couldn't see anything about Bella. Just… black. If we weren't on the phone, I would've thought that, that," she trailed off as Bella leaned against her, breathing deeply.

Then Carlisle's eyes fell on Bella. "So what trouble were you in?"

She partially closed her eyes when Alice started lightly scratching her scalp. "I was with Jake—"

"In La Push," Alice supplied.

"—in La Push and I fell and kinda landed on an obviously superior tree root."

Carlisle tapped a finger to his jaw. "Who else did you bump into?"

Bella's eyes snapped open and she straightened. "Literally? I fucking walked into some asshole and bounced off. He just popped up in front of me."

"He hurt you?"

Bella looked up, frowning at Alice's expression and leaning against her again. "No, the bouncing part did."

"Name?" Carlisle prompted casually.

"Fucking Sam Uley."

Carlisle pointed his finger at Alice. "There you are."

"What," they said in unison.

"It must be a naturally developed defense mechanism against us. Or simply the result of the mental presence they have within their packs manifesting itself in a different way. I wonder if Jasper would be able to feel them." Carlisle's gaze had long traveled to some point beyond them. "Would Jane's abilities be dampened? But why could Edward hear them before? What is it like for a shield to phase, I wonder."

"Carlisle." Alice snapped her fingers in front of his face, and he blinked at her. She returned his thankful smile.

"Okay," Bella said, "Putting aside whoever the fuck Jane is, are you telling me they really do turn into big ass wolves and do, I dunno, wolf stuff?"

"You _do_ smell a bit like wet dog, Bella, but I was just giving you the benefit of a doubt."

Carlisle regarded Bella. "What gives you that idea?"

Bella shot Alice a glare before answering him. "Why play dumb? Their stories say you guys moved back here. Coldy, Cold Ones."

"Who told you that?"

"Jakey Jake."

"He's not a wolf," Alice answered Carlisle's silent question.

After a moment, Carlisle smiled at Bella. "We have a treaty, and part of it is to not reveal each other. I can't determine if it's technically broken if he's not a shapeshifter and told you, though you already knew. I suppose I'll simply excuse it, regardless. Though I do expect a meeting soon."

"Wow."

"That's all you have to say, Bells?"

"They turn into fucking _wolves_ , how cool is that? What do you say about that? How does that work? How soft are the paws?"

Carlisle chuckled. "You are quite refreshing."

"You too, Doc."

Alice looked at Bella's goofy smile. "What meds did you give her, Carlisle?"

Mischief twinkled in his eyes.

Bella's finger began to trace Alice's jawline. "You are so fucking gorgeous, best friend."

Alice closed her eyes. "Carlisle."

"Hmm?"

She looked at his mock innocence, sighing as Bella poked a bone in her face. "Carlisle."

"She's refreshing and I'm old. Is she not family now?" The doctor shrugged. As Alice shook her head, he asked, "Anything eventful at home?"

"Edward broke a vase and made sure to let me know he was quite displeased with me."

Bella's finger tapped Alice's cheek. "Hey, turn that frown upside-down."

Involuntarily, Alice's lips quirked.

Carlisle openly smiled. "Continue, and do remember everything is okay. Right, Bella?"

"Absolutely, Doc."

Alice rolled her eyes. "Rosalie was calm and collected, directed everything when I couldn't be on the phone anymore. Esme, concerned and keeping Edward and Rosalie from, uh, arguing. Jasper calming everyone, including a slight threat to Edward."

"So why didn't Rosalie go?"

"She told me to get my best friend." Alice shrugged a shoulder slightly. "I think it had something to do with Edward."

Bella leaned away from Alice. "Was he extra mean to you?"

Alice shushed her and patted her head.

"I'll fight him."

"Bella, you'd fight anything."

"Anything for you with a face like that."

"You are so gay, Bella."

Carlisle snorted. "Well, take her home and make sure she doesn't fall down some stairs and completely break her wrist or some other tragedy."

"You mean since you drugged her beyond need?"

Carlisle smoothed the front of his coat, though his gold eyes sparkled. "I haven't a clue what you're talking about."

"What do I tell them at home?"

He wiggled a finger. "Not your problem." He pointed at Bella, who still seemed fascinated by Alice's face. "Your problem."

"What? I'm babysitting? For how long?"

Carlisle glanced at Bella. He shrugged.

* * *

 **A/N:** I was going to scrap the whole La Push bit, but I like Jake (sometimes) and had forgotten this sets up the next chapter and some events. By the way, I am using book heights for people (because that's more fun) so here's a quick run down of ones that matter. Alice: 4'10" (Yo I didn't even know she was that small lmao) Bella: 5'4". Rosalie: 5'9". Jake: Forever tall after shifting (Seriously.).

And if you do glance at chapter titles, yeah, they matter. Yes, this shit's gon' get dark. Not super dark or anything or ungodly long or shit that'll make you throw your phone/computer,* but love is hard and Bella and Rose are idiots.

*Disclaimer: You might feel inclined to throwing your device.


	9. And As Constellations Shift

**A/N:** So the people noticing Alice and Bella's _close_ dynamic are onto something. No romance there, but you're onto something. Besides, you're not best friends if there's not a rumor that you're gay for each other. -looks at the mass of fanfiction that spawned because of that concept- It's funny because I never felt I could write Alice or them as a ship.

If you haven't listened to Amy Lee sing Sally's Song from The Nightmare Before Christmas, you totally should. Partially relevant. Also, my glasses are broken so I'm blind as shit so let's pretend I looked over this chapter as much as I normally do because I can't see shit and I had a consistent migraiine before they broke and I could kill someone now.

* * *

Alice sighed for the 53rd time. She'd been counting. Turning off the car, she looked over at Bella, who had only recently dozed off and therefore at last stopped babbling about how pretty everything was. Though, apparently, nothing was as pretty as her. Alice smiled, running her fingers through Bella's hair. The human shifted a little, making a content noise.

"Bella." Alice shook her shoulder gently. "Bellaaaa. Wake up. I can't just carry you in because people are out and about." After a minute of no real response, Alice rolled her eyes and knocked on her forehead. "Bella."

"No," she murmured, her voice thick with sleep, "No one's home."

Biting her lip to resist a smile, Alice knocked again.

One brown eye cracked open.

"Come on. I can't carry you inside."

The solitary eye slid shut. Bella moved in her seat, sitting straighter. Her arm froze. She at last opened both eyes, squinting at Alice before staring down at her wrapped-up wrist. "Oh."

The vampire raised her eyebrows.

"Doc's a funny guy."

"Carlisle?"

Bella nodded slowly. "I feel _so_ nice."

Again, Alice sighed, though faint amusement pitched her tone. "It's so rare for me to be surprised, Bella. Did you know that?"

Bella looked at her seriously and raised a finger. "Why? And yes."

"Because you're full of surprises." A small smile pulled at Alice's lips as she ushered Bella out the car and into the Swan home. It took a small debate to pin down if Bella really wanted to be on the couch or in her room and she started to second guess the couch when Alice led her to it.

As Bella stared at a particular groove in the table in front of her, Alice locked the door, got her a glass of water, and browsed the small collection of DVDs.

"Water. Cool."

Gold eyes rolled.

"Thanks."

"The Nightmare Before Christmas is in your room?"

Bella's attention cut to Alice's back with a small gasp. "You only get visions. What other magic do you have?"

Alice choked, caught between sighing and laughing. She took a moment to smile at Bella, who looked at her with pure wonder in her brown eyes. In the thirty seconds it took Alice to go to Bella's room, smile at her own jacket on the dresser, and find the movie, she heard her name drift up the stairs with panic.

Once Alice appeared on the couch beside her, Bella poked her face as if making sure she wasn't hallucinating. "Cold. You." She shook her head a little. "I thought you left."

A pang went through Alice and it showed on her face. "No, Bells. I just went to get Nightmare in case you wanted to watch it."

Bella's brow furrowed. "That makes sense."

"I really wonder what Carlisle gave you. And how much." Her gaze studied Bella. "And how you feel."

Bella snorted, and then she giggled a little. "Me too."

Both of their phones went off and Alice stirred herself, realizing she'd been too distracted by Bella's behavior to see this coming and at least preempt one call. Before Bella could get her phone out of her pocket, Alice had already sent a text for her own caller to wait. She answered Bella's phone smoothly, "Hello, Mr. Swan. I just got Bella home from the hospital. She's fine, just hurt her wrist from a little fall—"

"Now wait—"

"I'm staying with her to make sure she doesn't hurt herself. I know she didn't want to ruin your day with her boo-boo and I'd let her tell you herself but she's a little out of it on a painkiller. I am sorry though that I didn't get to introduce myself under better circumstances. I'm Alice Cullen, Bella's best friend."

After a second, Charlie responded to her, "Another Cullen kid, another secretary. Does she pay you better?"

Alice's nose crinkled and she glanced at Bella, who was staring at her face again. "What?"

Charlie was quiet.

"Mr. Swan?"

"She's going to kill me with this worrying."

She took a moment to see what the best words would be because she personally didn't know. "She loves you, sir."

"That's why I'm going to kill her. Her and Jacob."

Alice bit her lip. "I know she would want you to keep enjoying yourself. She's mentioned more than once that you need a day to yourself."

A long sigh came through the line. "I haven't always been there, but I'm her dad, you know?"

She nodded though he couldn't see. "I know."

"I'll be there in an hour and then you can go."

"Mr. Swan?"

"Yes, second secretary?"

Alice mentally thanked her ability of foresight. "I'm pretty sure she thinks this was the biggest gift she could give you right now. She hasn't always been there, but she's your daughter, you know?"

Charlie sighed, his conflict evident even through the phone.

"I'll eat anyone that tries to hurt her, Mr. Swan."

Bella giggled to the point Alice had to shush her.

Charlie snorted. "I think you're my favorite. You're the small Cullen kid, right?"

"Yes. And thank you, I am quite a joy."

"A beautiful joy," Bella whispered.

Alice shushed her again.

"I'm starting to feel like I owe you Cullens." Charlie sighed. "I'll pay you for your time."

"No, no. It is my duty as Bella's best friend."

"Well," Charlie said awkwardly, "Help yourself to anything in the fridge."

Alice bid him goodbye while Bella grumbled about the fridge being barer than a desert. She picked up her phone and began typing a text as Bella spoke.

"Why does everyone answer my calls? I can't give raises."

If Charlie hadn't said something about her being a secretary, Alice would've just brushed it off as nonsense, but she only cocked her head, making a mental note to ask about it later.

"Everything okay?"

Alice nodded sharply. "Just answering a question about your well-being."

Bella made a face. "Ward needs to relax."

"Rose too," Alice muttered, reading a new text.

Bella's face became rather comedic in her sincere shock. "Aristotle's worried about me?" Seeing Alice nod, Bella frowned. "But she didn't get me like she said."

Alice opened her mouth, but she closed it without a noise. She hummed, setting down her phone and taking off her shoes. She tucked her legs under herself so she was more comfortable. "I don't know what you'll remember later."

"Gotta keep it secret."

"Yes. From you."

"Shit," Bella mumbled. "You're right. Can we have less secrets?"

Alice bit her lip to try maintaining her serious expression. "Like what, Bells?"

"Like everything. Like, like why you're so fucking pretty. It's not natural."

"Bella, I am a vampire."

"Pffffft. Still."

Alice shook her head a little. "How's your wrist?"

"Like I really like the bones and shit in your face. They come together nice."

"Maybe you should go to sleep, Bella."

"No," she said petulantly.

Alice studied her. "Do you have a crush on me?"

Bella laughed, looking at the TV even though it wasn't on. "I could. I would." A frown creased her brow. "Maybe a little bitty bit." After a moment, she shook her head. "Would terribly but can't."

Alice tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

Her shoulders sank as she glanced at Alice. "I fucked up bad. So bad. Bad, bad, bad."

"Bells?"

A few minutes passed of Bella staring at nothing. "Why does Rosalie even look at me?"

Alice closed her eyes and covered her mouth. She centered herself the best she could, trying to do away with the sharp pain in her heart for her friend. It wouldn't help Bella to cry, not at all. Finally, she opened her eyes and cleared her throat. She touched Bella's knee. "Bells—"

"Why?" She looked at Alice again, a bit of guilt in her eyes over the silent tears running down her face.

"Bella." Alice's brow creased in a sad frown as she held Bella's warm face and brushed aside her tears.

"I don't know why you look at me, but, like, I could be a, a, shit. The multi-headed thing that's angry?"

"…Do you mean a hydra?" As Bella nodded, Alice marveled at the fact that even now, in this state, she enjoyed being in the girl's company. They really were meant to be best friends.

"You wouldn't care if I was a hydra. So I get that. Got that. You're still better than me, though. Like way better."

Alice's shoulders sank as her heart did. "Bella, that isn't true at all."

She gave an exaggerated nod, lightly pulling away from Alice's hands still on her face. "You and your pretty bones and smile and happy eyes." Bella looked down, touching the brace on her wrist. "I'm an idiot, yeah, but wow. Like this is the worst. And I wanted to not, but I can't not, you know?"

For thirty years, Alice had searched for Jasper, knowing they were meant to be. She hadn't personally known the effect of the bond they'd share, and she couldn't imagine how she would've stayed sane even feeling an ounce of it before actually meeting Jasper. She knew Rosalie felt like a generally surprised mess, what with her world being turned upside down by simply meeting a human, but she didn't know the full extent of it. She knew even less how Bella felt, or how it _could_ affect her. As she opened her mouth, a dozen possible futures presented themselves to her.

"I never had it so bad before. Never fucked up so bad. Sometimes I just _think_ I smell roses and I'm looking for her and my heart's twisting around in my chest and I start getting nervous and whoop. Nope." A scoff punctuated her sad frustration.

Alice shifted on the couch and blinked at her. "She smells like roses to you?"

"Pffffft, who's the vampire, Alice Balice, me or you?"

She rolled her eyes. "Bella, _I_ barely pick up that scent on her." She laughed a little at Bella's confused expression. "You smell it clearly?"

"What? Would I not?" Her brow furrowed. "Should I not? Am I sick?"

"No sicker than you already were, no." Alice tapped a finger to her chin. "Carlisle would love to learn this. Emmett didn't even really smell it."

She touched Alice's wrist suddenly. "Is she okay? Sister code, sure, sure, sure, sure. But. Is she okay? About him?"

Alice sighed, patting her hand. "As much as she can be."

"You?"

"Me what?"

"You okay? Your mom?"

A small, sad smile came to Alice's lips. "The same."

"He looks super good too."

Alice cocked her head.

Bella stared at her knee before looking into dark gold eyes. "I'm, uh, shit. Not thick."

"Oblivious? Stubborn? Dense? In awe of my magnificence?" Alice supplied with a bit of mirth brightening her eyes.

"Yeah. I'm dense, totally, but I've seen how she looks at humans. They're, er, _we're_ beneath her. Disgusting. Stupid. Just garbage."

"Bella, she just—"

She shushed Alice, a completely serious expression on her face. "I get it. We suck." She looked at Alice and laughed, making the vampire roll her eyes good-naturedly. "Okay, okay. Right. We suck. I know it. But, like, she seems more relaxed but more stressed out around me? Am I, uhm, no, no, not drifting. Projecting. Am I projecting?" Bella tried to run her braced hand through her hair and settled on using her good one. "Am I crazy? She makes me feel crazy. And like, dude, fuck. She's all hostile and shit and bitchy as fuck. Bitchiest bitch in bitch history."

An exasperated sigh came from Alice, but Bella didn't seem to notice.

"Queen bitch. Head bitch. Save me."

"Are you okay?" Her eyes flicked to Bella's chest, unsure why her heartrate was so fast suddenly.

A blush started across Bella's face. "I love bitches, Alice Balice. Like, I just, Christ on a bike. The bitchier the bitch, the more I die." She gave into a small, involuntary shudder. "Just beat the shit out of me. Holy shit."

Alice's eyes widened. "Wh-What?"

"Like, I know, I just know I haven't seen her full bitch powers," Bella continued almost like Alice wasn't even there. "And just of course she glares and shit and gets offended and huffs and puffs and scowls, but, uh, fuck. It's… friendly? I swear it's fucking inviting. And I get lost every damn time. Like, I try to stay on the ground, and then there's _her_. Then I'm just fucking, just gone, man. Less oxygen than space and I don't even care. Like. Like I'm a random rock crashin' through space and whoop. Caught in her orbit. This pull. This fucking planet full of fuckin' wonder and, and just all kinds of shit and it has this dumb rock stuck looking at it forever. Like drowning and the water's in your lungs and you know you're gonna die but you've never been more alive than that moment and you can't reach air and you don't even remember what air's like anymore. Only the burn. Your whole life is the burn."

When Bella finally looked at her again, Alice had no doubts in her mind. Visions were one thing, but actual confirmation was another. Rosalie no longer seemed frozen, but Bella's confessions sealed it. Destiny had written their names side by side. Alice smiled, but it vanished the moment Bella spoke.

"I'm a fucking rock, Alice."

Tears that could never fall formed in her eyes as she wiped a stray tear off of Bella's cheek. "You're not a rock, Bells. You're no rock."

"You're making the face."

The smallest sigh escaped Alice. "Which face?"

"The one. You don't know if you should say something or not or what. Future shit. You've got your future face going on."

"I don't." She rubbed her temple, closing her eyes. "I really don't."

"What was all the future shit you blanked out about the other week that had everyone all tripped up and stuff?"

"Too many possibilities played out for me." Slowly, she looked at Bella. "In a lot of them, you died."

"Oh. That's shitty." Bella took the vampire's hand. "I'm warm. I hate when you're sad. I'd, hmm, cartwheel through fire to make you smile."

"Please do not. I couldn't tell which would happen, or why, and some meshed together. For some, I couldn't tell when. I still don't even know if they'll come." She squeezed Bella's hand, more so to reassure herself than anything else.

"They who? I'll fight them."

Alice smiled a little. "No, no fighting for you."

"You either. Neither?" Bella huffed. "Talk to me."

After a moment, Alice said, "She comes on a tidal wave of blood, if she does."

Bella pulled her hand from Alice's to touch her face. "Blood is binding."

Alice cocked her head, staring at her, but Bella's gaze drifted.

"Was everyone else okay?"

"Bella, we are not okay without you. You need to understand that."

"Rosalie would be."

"For fuck's sake, Bella! You're her—" She stopped.

Bella looked at the frozen vampire with wide eyes. "You cursed," she said dumbly. "And yelled?"

At last, Alice moved, and her voice was quiet. "Friend. You're her friend."

In the thick silence, Bella stared at Alice while she stared at nothing, an air of defeat coming off of her. Bella fiddled with her wrist brace.

Alice's attention fixated on her phone a few seconds before it chimed. A slow smile came to her face and she turned to Bella. "Would you like to show Rose the wonder that is Tim Burton?"

"Uh oh."

"Is that a no?"

"Not arguing with tricky, trickster future face. Just scared."

"Smart." Alice chuckled, perhaps a little crazily, before swiping her phone off the table and firing off a text. Standing, Alice retrieved the movie and placed it on Bella's lap. She smiled at the girl's confusion and kissed her forehead, patting her head as she straightened. "I love you. I'm the patient one, so try not to get eaten. Bye, Bells." She flashed a smile and vanished.

"Imma die," Bella said to the now empty house.

A few minutes later, her heart jumped when the front door slowly began to open. Bella's eyes took in the tall form of Rosalie Hale, framed by the barely-there light of the sun behind her. Her general annoyance seemed softer when she was surrounded by a halo. Absently, Bella wondered how the vampire looked in actual sunlight, free of all the clouds that loved Forks.

Closing the door, Rosalie took a few steps forward. The suspicion in her gold eyes came to a point when Bella waved at her as if she didn't know what else to do. "I've been tricked, haven't I?"

An awkward smile crossed Bella's face.

"You're not sober."

Swallowing, Bella ran her good hand through her hair, obviously unsettled by the statement sounding like an accusation.

The scowl on Rosalie's face softened a little. "How are you feeling?"

Bella jerked her shoulders up in a shrug and her gaze travelled away from the blonde.

Silence stretched the distance between them, eventually broken by Rosalie's tight tone. "Do you want me to leave?"

Bella glanced at her, biting her lip.

Rosalie wasn't looking at her anymore. "Situations of this variety are not my strong suit. I will call Alice on my way back."

As the vampire started to turn, Bella's heart jumped again. "Hey."

She paused. Slowly, she faced Bella and took another step into the room. A perfect eyebrow arched. "Did you hit your head instead of your wrist?"

Bella fidgeted. "Uh, so, like, hmm." She cleared her throat. "What happens when you guys are in, you know, sunlight?"

A mixture of disgust and annoyance played about Rosalie's face as she grimaced.

Bella's leg started bouncing. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Ward made kinda the same face. Left. Alice, pffft. Got that tricky trickster smile instead."

Sighing, Rosalie at last came to the couch, sitting on the far end. "Honestly, did you injure your head?"

Bella shook her head. She held up her braced wrist. "Fell. Doc gave me somethin' for possible pain and falling."

"Perhaps I did indeed jinx you on Friday."

"At least Saturday was uneventful," Bella joked.

Silence descended in an awkward wave.

"What's Ward's deal?"

Rosalie cocked her head slightly.

She stared at her.

A golden eyebrow hiked up in question. When that didn't elicit a response, her lips moved. "Isabella?"

"You seriously do indulge me, don't you?"

Rosalie's brow furrowed as she leaned back a little. "I don't know what you mean. However, I do not indulge anyone."

"Why?"

"You are not a child."

Bella shook her head a little. "I think I heard you speak once before you came to my table and asked me outside with you. And, like, you don't react a lot." A sharp frown took over Bella's face. "I'm not saying this totally right."

"There's no need to continue."

"You were a statue. Now you move."

When brown eyes looked up at her, Rosalie clenched her jaw, just a little. She looked away, inspecting her nails. "I have to exaggerate myself for your dull, human eyes to notice anything at all."

"You're a shitty shit liar."

"I prefer honesty, as my family will tell you. However, I can lie quite well, I assure you."

"Why'd you come to my table that day?"

"Perhaps," Rosalie said without looking at her, "You should go to sleep. You humans need to do that a lot."

"You were the same once."

The vampire froze.

Bella rubbed her temple. "Sorry. I'm sorry. This whole time I've only upset you."

Slowly, Rosalie stirred, relaxing her shoulders. "No, not at all."

"You're a shitty liar, but I'm a rock so I guess that's even."

Rosalie frowned at her.

"I don't care for drinking."

A golden eyebrow quirked. She obviously wasn't following.

Bella stared at her wrist brace. "Got drunk once. I woke up, baking on my roof. Pretty sure the Arizona sun should've killed me, but I guess I wasn't up there _too_ long and since it was toward evening, well," Bella stopped, shrugging. "Worst sunburn of my life. Renèe didn't even notice I was gone, but I decided alcohol wasn't for me."

Rosalie spoke after a pause. "I can't imagine how you even got onto the roof without dying. Who's Renèe?"

"My mother."

"What? She didn't notice you were _gone_?"

Bella blinked at amber eyes. She shrugged.

Rosalie stared at her, uncomprehending, with traces of anger on her face.

"Let's say if motherhood had a manual, she'd misplace it. She's a good person, just…" Bella shrugged again.

The vampire flicked her glare to a wall.

"You don't have to worry about me not being sober. Well, can't say I'm totes sober now and I probably owe Alice an apology, but, er. My mind's foggy. Like a wall between me and my thoughts. It's better now, but… You get what I'm trying to say."

Rosalie glanced at her curiously. "Why do you owe her an apology?"

A blush crept onto Bella's cheeks as she poked at her wrist brace. "Nothing. Glad you didn't come first. What a nightmare."

"Did you kiss her?"

"WHAT?" Bella practically squawked. "No! Christ on a bike, 'Stotle! What's wrong with you?" She covered her raging heart, staring at Rosalie as if she'd grown two additional heads.

Rosalie lightly shrugged a shoulder. "You seem infatuated with her. Can't imagine how Edward rationalizes that." She shook her head for a moment. "Anyway, you couldn't have done much damage, then. I'm certain she'd laugh about even that, though of course later to spare your feelings."

"What the flying fuck does Ward have to do with—I just—what?"

"What did you do to Alice?"

Bella squinted at her. "Trade you."

Rosalie's gaze dropped as she thought it over. Then, she inclined her head. "Agreed."

"Well I asked first."

"Well I'm older than you."

"What?" Bella couldn't stop the grin on her face. "Don't you have better cards to pull, 'Stotle? Pfffft. Weak."

"Yet you failed to counter it."

"Well my card's stronger than yours."

"What is this, Pokèmon?"

Bella's mouth fell open. "What the fuck? You know what that is?"

"Alice and Emmett had a brief, but passionate obsession with it once upon a time. Even Carlisle didn't manage to escape it."

"Shit."

"I almost moved out."

"Well, you're a drama queen, so."

"Isabella, Edward was barred from the tournaments solely because he can read minds."

" _Tournaments_?"

Rosalie sighed as if suffering all over again. "I pretended to only barely understand and asked endless questions just so I could avoid playing because I wasn't 'fun.'"

"How'd you even get roped into playing?" Seeing Rosalie's eyes, Bella took a guess. "Alice's pout?"

"I often wonder if it was so potent before she became a vampire."

"Pokèmon hell doesn't excuse you from going first."

"Fine," Rosalie acquiesced. A smirk curved her lips, but it left quickly, as if she'd changed her mind. "He still carries the belief that he has a chance of a relationship with you."

"You just played nice."

"Perhaps not when it comes down to it. Regardless, I wonder how he rationalizes what could easily be romantic between you and Alice. At least, on your part."

Bella grimaced. "Look, I don't feel that way for ol' Alice Balice. Besides, I like your brother."

Rosalie stared at her blankly.

"Jasper," Bella clarified. "Without romance."

Rosalie hummed. "I do believe it is your turn."

"Want me to show you or tell you?" Bella had blurted the words before thinking, and she mentally cursed her mind for not filtering that out.

Rosalie eyed her blush with growing suspicion, made worse by the sound of her hammering heart.

"Uh, curiosity killed the cat, so I'll just tell you. So—"

"Satisfaction brought it back," Rosalie interrupted quietly, the thoughtful look still on her face.

"Yeah, well, you haven't decided."

Rosalie's gaze drifted.

Bella took a deep breath and focused on the movie in her lap. "The bones and shit in your face come together really fucking nice. I petted Alice's face a lot, but you're, well, yeah. So yeah, I like the way the bones in your face are. Really nice. Ten out of five dentists agree."

Something close to shock swirled in Rosalie's eyes as she stared at Bella. Between the words themselves and the sound of Bella's heart beating erratically, Rosalie allowed herself a small, barely-there smile. "You are so odd."

"Yeah, well, you're old."

"I think the structure of your face is nice as well," Rosalie admitted softly.

Somehow, Bella's heart charged on faster, and when she looked up and saw the slight curve of Rosalie's lips, she thrust out the movie in the space between them. Panic held her tongue between her teeth.

Eyebrow raised, Rosalie leaned forward and accepted the item. "The Nightmare Before Christmas? I think Alice mentioned this at least a dozen times." She glanced at Bella, whose gaze was fixed on the TV. Rosalie set everything up in a matter of seconds and reclaimed her spot on the far end of the couch. As the movie started, she said, "If you call me old again, I'll tear your heart out."

"Sure, sure. Of course."

Rosalie did her best to ignore whenever Bella gently bounced in time with songs and whispered the words. The movie had played hundreds of times in her presence on account of Alice, but she'd blocked it out every time. So, for the first time in her life, she focused on it and made mental notes of her questions for later. She'd normally filter out the more abrasive things, but Bella seemed utterly unfazed by the rudest of things. She looked forward to an explanation on how a skeleton could speak. And what could possibly be the qualifications for being King of the Pumpkin Patch? Obviously, the state of life didn't matter. The confused crinkle in Rosalie's brow didn't fade until Sally began her song. As a twisting sensation took hold of her chest, she couldn't help but feel whatever gods there were specifically created this moment just to laugh at her.

Against her will, her thoughts echoed the song. Did Bella notice her feelings? Could she? Where _would_ their actions lead? And would they ever…

Rosalie Hale couldn't finish the thought. She desperately returned to her list of questions about the movie. Still, the song Sally sang swirled around her mind.

Once the credits began, Rosalie exhaled in a way she hoped seemed irritated. "I simply cannot believe—" Her mouth shut and her expression softened.

Bella had fallen asleep at some point.

Rosalie stared at her freely. It was the first time she had done so, she realized. Bella's comfortable leaning against the arm of the couch had turned into her curling into it as much as she could while still sitting and her arm folded under her head to serve as a pillow. Her braced wrist rested awkwardly off of her lap, as if she'd grown annoyed with it. After a moment of hesitation, Rosalie moved over on the couch to be sitting near Bella. She clasped and unclasped her hands in her lap before sighing.

"If I still lived, my heart would be erratic," Rosalie whispered, mildly afraid of waking her. "It embarrasses you, but I hope you treasure the feel of your heart beating in your chest with the passion of a thousand suns. You can only be human once."

The vampire swallowed unnecessarily before brushing Bella's hair from her face with a gentle hand. Her lips quirked a little. "You drool. That's absolutely disgusting. A human who _drools_ captains the ship leading me to insanity. To be nervous has always been a foreign concept to me. And yet I am so nervous I could run to another country just to ease my nerves and you're not even awake. I would find it hilarious if I wasn't the victim of this."

Snorting, Rosalie retrieved the remote and sat back, brushing her thumb over the buttons. "I wonder if you know Aristotle said that love is composed of a single soul in two bodies." Rosalie started the movie over again. "I used to believe it was nonsense."

* * *

 **A/N:** We're getting super gay here and Alice is losing her patience. The next chapter might come quickly because I'm finally at a place to start my first novel (a free to read one) and I'm going to work like crazy and I'll need something that isn't stressful (this story) to do. If you're wondering, basically dark/gritty fantasy is my thing. So how the fuck did I end up here? Lol

Thanks for reading. I'll see you guys soon.


	10. The Night Awakens

**A/N:** Delayed update. My lady got super sick and then got me super sick. So that's what that was. Now we're on track. Bit of a short chapter.

* * *

"So, are you going with anyone, Bella?"

She suddenly focused on Mike, blinking. She could feel the eyes of everyone at the table on her and had the feeling Edward was staring from across the cafeteria. Bella almost scowled just thinking about him. He hadn't even looked at her the past two days. They were lab partners for fuck's sake.

"Bella?" Jessica prodded her arm a little too hard.

"Sorry." She rubbed her arm. "I was thinking and then—"

"Can't imagine what about," Lauren interrupted. When Bella looked at her, she shrugged with an awkward, almost pained face, as if she hadn't meant to say it out loud. "Like, why think at school? There's already too much thinking."

Angela frowned while Eric and Tyler partially agreed.

"Yeah, like, I can't imagine having, like, a small brain and like, having to think _all_ day." Bella mussed her hair and ignored the few reactions around the table and tried not to smile when she faintly heard a tinkling laugh from the direction of the Cullen table.

"Yeah," Lauren said in an almost small voice, as if self-conscious. "Me either."

Bella returned her attention to Mike. "Am I going to what with who?"

"Seriously?"

Angela bumped shoulders with Bella. "Don't you know Bella lives under a rock?"

"A rock at the bottom of the ocean," Tyler mumbled.

"Look, can we let Mike talk?"

He brightened at her words, taking them as her defending him. "The Halloween dance. Are you going with someone?"

"What the fuck, we have one of those?"

Sighs and groans erupted from her tablemates.

"What day is it?"

"October 31st, duh." Lauren rolled her eyes.

"That's a Monday."

"What? How do you know that? Are you a witch or something?"

"It's Tuesday, the eleventh." Angela said to Bella. "The dance is the 28th since Halloween is on Monday."

"It's the eleventh?"

Angela sighed and patted Bella's arm. "Yes and you should go to the bookstore in Port Angeles with me on Saturday."

"Oh! Me too!"

Bella rolled her eyes. "You don't read books, Jessica."

She sniffed, briefly glancing in Mike's direction. "No, but maybe there's a cute guy there who would like to tell me about books."

Mike missed it entirely as he bounced and tapped the table in front of Angela. "Yo, can I tag along? I've been wanting to grab more comics. You won't even know I'm there."

"Me too," Eric chimed in.

Mike scoffed. "You don't know the difference between Marvel and DC, man."

"You have a preference? I don't care as long as there's cool shit and a story." Bella picked up her water bottle and contemplated it before setting it down again.

Mike's eyes shined. "You read comics?"

"You know," Jessica said, "She might not have a preference because she can't tell the difference. Who are you going to the dance with, Mike?"

As Mike looked almost stuck and dumbly glanced at Bella before staring at Jessica, Angela elbowed Bella. "You okay?"

"I don't want water," she grumbled.

"I don't have a date yet." Mike started picking at his food and refused to look up at anyone.

Bella rolled her eyes at the sight of him while Jessica stared at him and Tyler stared at her for some god-awful reason. However, she did notice Eric looking past her, at Angela. "So, bookstore. Saturday. Not before noon. Got it. Who are you going with, Angela?"

"Oh, no." Angela laughed a little nervously and adjusted her glasses. "I'm not going. Who do you think you might go with?"

"Misery, because I will have no happiness there." Out the corner of her eye, she saw Rosalie move a little, though she couldn't tell what she did at this distance.

Mike looked up and shot her a smile. "Oh, come on, Bella. It'll be fun!"

"Ugh, not with an emo, it won't."

Bella tried to catch Lauren's eye. "I wish someone loved me as much as you love to run your fucking mouth."

"Damn," said the guys in unison.

Lauren jerked to her feet. "Well you're a fucking freak, you bitch! You're not cute, you're not anybody! No one should talk to you!"

Bella watched her storm off with some girl whose name she couldn't remember. In the silence, Jessica glanced at Bella before going after the other girls. She rubbed her temple with a heavy sigh and stood. "Sorry for bringing drama to your table and shit, guys."

As various, awkward responses erupted, Angela touched her arm with a soft smile. "Saturday. If you can't, we can go another time. Forget Lauren."

Bella nodded and left for an empty table. She was unravelling her earbuds when a couple shadows cast over the table. Alice slid into the spot next to her with a smile while Edward and Jasper sat across from her.

Jasper nodded to her.

She returned the gesture before quirking her eyebrow, looking at Alice. "I don't recall doing anything lately to need an intervention."

A frown pulled at Edward's lips. He rested his arms on the table, leaning forward. "You've required an intervention before?"

"I believe it was a joke to casually address our sudden arrival and avoid beating around the bush." Jasper's mouth twitched when Bella grinned at him and Alice laughed.

Edward cleared his throat. "Yes, well, this is not an intervention. This is rather serious."

"What's serious is your silence." Bella prodded Alice's side.

She caught Bella's hand and held it on the table. "I'm trying to behave and be 'polite' and not steal the show since I am just so cute and amazing."

"That serious? Have I committed a crime?"

"No," Edward said. "Bella, the simple fact is—"

"Why the fuck is Rosalie just sitting alone at you guys' table?"

Edward drew his arms closer to himself and straightened. "Our dear sister is rather adverse to company. I'm sure you've noticed her venom, for lack of a better word."

"Uh, sure. Okay. She's got quite a bite. I just don't want to bother poor Jasper."

The blond vampire chuckled as Alice suppressed a giggle. "Oh, I'll be alright."

Edward had to dip into Jasper's mind to understand what he'd missed. The pun had entirely gone over his head in the moment and Alice hadn't shared with him as she normally did. It was agreed he wouldn't read her mind and she wouldn't mentally address him to avoid spoiling the conversation he needed to have, but apparently that extended to humor as well. He scowled to himself.

"If you're sure. I still feel bad about being in your house."

Jasper nodded to her.

"Bella, I am attempting to speak with you. Please mind that."

"You deliberately ignored me in class. Twice. Why talk now? Why should I listen?"

Edward's gaze dropped and the line of his jaw grew tense. "Esme decided I may only speak with you in the presence of two of my siblings."

"Oh, right, because you wanted to tear my throat out. That's thoughtful of her. Sorry you need supervision, though. Must suck."

Alice swatted Bella's arm with a soft laugh.

He failed to keep the grimace off his face. "I am terribly sorry about that. It was an error of horrible nature on my part. I want to move past that and the need of," he sighed, "escorts. We can have a wonderful dynamic."

Bella removed her hand from Alice's and leaned back to stare at him. "I agree."

"You-You do? But, why are you making that face?"

"Because I'm wondering if you've apologized to Rosalie, who happens to be the only person you should apologize to about this. You two got in a fight over it. I was with Alice." She watched his eyes widen a little. "You haven't."

"I have. I apologized immediately after."

"Okay. So."

"So," Edward leaned forward again, "If you feel comfortable enough already, you can inform Esme that we can be alone. If not, we may do activities together until you are satisfied. I would very much like to take you to dinner, perhaps in Seattle. There's this wonderful restaurant I know you'll enjoy. I can have you home by eleven and after I'm more accustomed to your scent we can have more frequent engagements."

"You're quite the gentleman, aren't you?"

"Of course."

"I really like you, Edward, and I do believe we can have a great dynamic."

He smiled, his shoulders relaxing as he did.

Bella rested her elbow on the table and flicked her wrist toward him. "So shut the fuck up."

Abruptly, Jasper coughed into his fist.

"You totally skipped friendship, not to even ask me on a date, but to more so state it than anything else. And without regard for my preferences, but what you think they could or should be. You're giving the illusion of choice and frankly, you've been a shit friend this whole time. I'd hit you if it wouldn't hurt."

He shut his mouth. Blinking, he swallowed. "Bella, I—"

"What's my favorite color? No cheating." She slapped her hand down on Alice's arm. "And shush. We all know you know."

"I wasn't going to say anything yet," Alice grumbled.

"I don't know," Edward admitted quietly.

"Guess."

He ran a hand through his already unruly hair, obviously frustrated. "Blue? Dark blue?"

She looked at Jasper. "Did Alice tell you already?"

"No, but I can guess." Seeing her nod, he said, "Grey."

"Rosalie, I know you can hear me over there. Your turn to guess."

Alice shifted. "She said green. Specifically within the shades of emerald or jade."

"And she's right. Jasper, I don't know what other kind of black magic shit you have, but how did you know my second favorite color?"

Edward slapped his hand down on the table as he stood. "My apologies." He practically stomped away and out the cafeteria at a pace just short of jogging.

Alice sighed and slumped against Bella. "Do you know how hard it is to bottle the amazingness that is myself?"

"Black magic shit?" Jasper almost smiled.

"I'm serious."

"Emotions are complicated. I perceive them in more ways than simply feeling them. I don't know how else to say it other than you feel grey to me. You're grey and other colors rise and fall in your palette of grey."

"Can we revisit that one day? That's interesting as all hell and I'd probably bore you to death discussing it."

"It would be my pleasure. Now, if you'll excuse me." He nodded and left toward their family table.

Bella inhaled deeply. "Is he going to be okay?"

"Edward's more of a drama queen than Rosalie. Or they're tied. I have an official count somewhere in my room and now I need to update it."

"I can't tell if that's sad or impressive."

"Me either." She sat up and stretched. "You hurt his pride and he's ashamed of himself. He'll be a pain, but probably for the better. Esme might hug you for it."

"For being rude to her son?"

Alice raised an eyebrow. "Bells, you do realize that Rosalie is an extremely rude person, right?"

"I forget."

The small vampire rolled her eyes. "Whatever. How's your wrist? You ditched the brace today."

"Yeah and I regret that decision. Speaking of, I'm so fucking sorry."

Alice giggled. "No, no. I like being told I'm pretty."

Bella groaned.

"So you remember everything?"

"No. Bits and pieces. Most of it's just a long blur to me."

Alice hummed.

"You're an ass for dumping me on your sister."

"A cute ass, you mean."

"Why'd you do it?"

"Because it's my duty."

* * *

"Hey, Charlie."

He looked up from the TV. Seeing her come over to the couch, he muted the show he was watching and started examining the buttons of the remote. "You skipped out on the brace today. I called Carlisle. He said you should've worn it today, Bells. It's only been two days."

"Yeah, I know. I'll put it on tonight."

"Well, good."

Bella watched him stare at the remote. "It's nothing serious, you can relax."

"I'm not not-relaxed." He blurted. He frowned at his own words and, meeting Bella's eyes, laughed with her. "Okay, what's going on then, kiddo?"

"Is it cool for me to go to Port Angeles this Saturday?"

"Not alone, no. Say, do you think Jake's ever been?"

Bella rolled her eyes. "No clue. And I wouldn't be going alone."

"Will there be boys?"

"How is Jake okay, but not another boy? I—pfft." She shook her head and waved her hand. "No, no boys. Angela wants to go to a bookstore with me."

Charlie nodded to himself. "I like Angela. You really should do something with Jake, though, Bells."

"Charlieeeee."

"Fine, fine. I just worry about you."

"If you really worried about me, you'd play Monopoly with me."

"No. Never again."

Bella scowled and poked at the back of the couch.

"You're a tyrant, Bells. Pure evil when it comes to that game."

"Sore loser."

Charlie chuckled. "You have to be home by ten."

"Until I find a bookstore that never closes, I agree with you. I have to get my sleep in."

"You sleep like you're trying to die."

Bella smirked. "Death with benefits?"

"That's not funny." As Bella waved him off, he unmuted the TV. "You know, I thought you'd be going with a Cullen."

"Nah, not this time. Hopefully it will be the only event of my weekend."

"You say that like you get dragged into things."

Bella looked at him.

"Oh." He chuckled before handing her the remote. "Pick something."

She smiled, thumbing through the channels. "Do you like lemonade?"

"Pink lemonade. Why?"

"Just wondering. I hiss and melt if it's not pink lemonade."

Charlie snorted.

Bella stopped on a crime drama and picked up her phone to send a text. "When I'm legal, we should take a shot for every inaccuracy you notice on these shows."

"We might die of alcohol poisoning."

She noticed that in spite of his serious tone, he was smiling. "I don't like drinking anyway. How about you take a shot and I take shots of energy drinks?"

"You don't like drinking anyway?"

The Dad Tone made her pause. "Uh, yeah. Tried it once, didn't like it. Nothing bad happened either."

He exhaled slowly, taking time to watch the montage of them running tests in a lab. "I know you're almost an adult, Bells, but—"

"I know. And thanks."

Another murder took place and the lead investigator swore it would be the last victim before Charlie spoke again. "You should stay up the whole night before we do it."

Bella laughed. "I'll be bouncing off the walls."

His smile faded after a minute. "What do you think we should do for the Cullens?"

"What?"

"They've kind of done a lot for us, for you. I was thinking we should do something as a thank you, since money is out of the question."

She bit her tongue to keep from stating that it sounded like a nightmare. "Uh, any ideas?"

"Honestly? No."

"Well I'll think of something." Bella gave a short, nervous laugh.

"Wait. They go camping. We should all go sometime."

"Uh, I don't know if that's a thank you."

"I'm sure they'd love it." He looked at her. "Wouldn't they?"

"Yeah!"

As Bella's phone went off, she bid him goodnight and rushed to her room. "This is a fucking disaster."

She face-planted into her bed and groaned. There was no way a camping trip could go well for a coven of vampires and two humans. Putting aside Jasper's suffering, it'd be so terribly awkward for them to pretend at human things. She also doubted that Rosalie had such patience.

Bella rolled over, something blue catching her eye. "What do you do all day," she murmured to the empty room. With a sigh, her eyes drifted just above the blue and to Alice's jacket. She really should return it. And throw away Rosalie's blouse.

Her phone chimed again.

Rolling back over, Bella picked it up and read Jasper's texts.

 _I must admit I'm rather surprised you asked Alice for my phone number, but pleasantly so. You're right. It would help my control to know you better and essentially humanize you. Not to say I view you as food._

 _Forgive me, I'm not good at talking to humans._

She laughed before answering him. Jasper really was out of his time, but she liked him and didn't want him to seem so pained if she could help it. As an afterthought, she asked him to tell Rosalie to return her shirt before Alice could burn it.

Her fingers hovered over the keys, but she tossed her phone down with the certainty it'd be pointless to ask him _that_ question. Brother-sister code was as strong as sister code. Bella retrieved Rosalie's ruined shirt and sat on the edge of her bed, staring at the fabric like it could answer life's questions. Or at least, her questions. There was the question of why Rosalie still had her shirt, for one. And a hundred others. But this was one that bothered her the most because Rosalie was far from forgetful. She also wouldn't hesitate to inform Bella that she'd thrown it away if she had.

Bella's phone rang and she frowned as she looked at it. The unknown number stared back at her until it went to her voicemail. The same number called again and she answered it on the first ring. "Hello?"

Before hanging up, the caller carefully articulated one word in a flat, condescending tone. "No."

Disbelief colored Bella's voice as she blinked at her phone, a slight smile on her lips. "You bitch."

* * *

 **A/N:** I have a chunk of the next chapter done, but I don't know how I feel about it. Well. Hm. We'll see.

Oh, and Beth Cyra, I'm always happy to share and hear your opinion. Glad I haven't disappointed.

Guest 1, the part of the next chapter I'm unsure about definitely brings on some concern from Rose. Slightly helping in my decision.


	11. Edge

**A/N:** Chapter's up early because of Yurihentai641. Longest one so far and fucking none of it was supposed to happen. I intended on Bella to getting annoyed and asking Jasper to the stupid dance for shits and giggles, but this happened instead. I don't know about elsewhere, but the school aftermath is how it happens here, so, roll with it.

Also, I seriously don't write stories in this time period so I feel annoyed I'm not delivering my normal quality. Plus I've written 70k (not counting what I've tossed out) in about five months on top of everything else and I need to up my output and I am just so burnt out and depressed so I don't even know what's going on anymore so if I seem off, please excuse that.

* * *

"How long do you think it'll take her to realize?"

Rosalie's eyes slid over to Jasper while she moved her lunch tray. "Is there a betting pool I'm unaware of?"

"If Emmett was here, I would say so."

Her gaze fell. She hummed.

Alice rubbed her arm affectionately. "How are you, Rose?"

"I don't know."

"Did something happen on the phone? She seemed fine texting me the past few days." He nodded across the cafeteria toward Bella. "And in person with Alice. In fact, I'd say her only, hmm, what's the word, Ali?"

She stifled a laugh. "Hostility?"

"Is with Edward."

"So much so that he ditched halfway into class with her today."

"Must you two speak as if you're one person? Honestly, it's like watching water ripple. It all blends."

Simultaneously, "Jealous?"

Rosalie sighed. "To think that I will have such wonderful company for eternity."

"Rose, I love you."

She didn't even have to look at Alice. "But?"

"But Jasper's point is that Edward isn't inserting himself between you two anymore."

Rosalie didn't say anything.

Far from deterred, Alice leaned on the table and prodded her sister's side. "So, spill. Jasper tells you Bella wants her shirt back, you get her number instead, and then you run off. We _know_ you called her."

"Alice."

"I didn't cheat and look for what would happen and I've waited entire days, Rose! Days! This is the third day! Come on, you're my sister and she's my best friend. I need to know."

"So shouldn't you mind our privacy above all else?"

Jasper scoffed.

Alice squinted under Rosalie's tired glare. She wiggled her finger at the blonde. "You used a determiner indicating joint possession."

A long sigh escaped Rosalie as her eyes rolled. She covered her eyes. "Alice, no."

"But you did," Jasper interjected. "You said ' _our_.'"

"Shut up, brother," she hissed.

"Rose and Bella, sitting in a tree," Alice sang, laughing when Rosalie shoved her.

"She'd fall out of the tree and break her neck."

"Not with her tall, blonde protector around," Alice cooed.

Jasper let out a low whistle. "Is that embarrassment, Rose?"

"I'm going to kill both of you."

"But first, spill the beans so my soul may find peace."

After glancing at her, Rosalie shrugged and crossed her arms. "I said 'no.'"

Alice blinked, sitting back and letting her gaze drift. "That's it? That's not juicy at all."

"You ended the call right after, I imagine."

"Well, yes."

Jasper chuckled. "Between that, her being Alice's best friend, and my approval, I'd say you go ask your mate on an actual date. You know, before Alice takes matters into her own hands."

"Or Esme. Don't forget she's claimed Bella as her fragile child. Oh, and Carlisle." Some friendly annoyance crossed Alice's face as she thought of him drugging Bella. She straightened her back and mimicked the good doctor, her normally high, excited voice comical in the attempt. " _Is she not family now?_ "

Jasper smiled at his wife before regarding Rosalie. "So what is it exactly? You can't say you don't know if she likes you."

"I don't want her to _like_ me."

Alice bounced, her eyes sparkling. "Then what _do_ you want her to do?"

Rosalie held up her hand in warning. "I will not be baited into that."

"Okay, so let's talk about you slipping your list of questions about The Nightmare Before Christmas into her backpack without her knowing. Instead of, I don't know, handing it to her like a normal person?"

"Don't forget you imposed a time limit on her response." Jasper tilted his head. "How do you expect her response to come? In person? If so, when? You have no classes together."

"Or are you two writing letters now?"

Rosalie glared at a distant wall.

"I say she'll notice the list within an hour of getting home."

"Without cheating, I'll say now."

Rosalie did a double-take as Alice moved. She slapped away Alice's hand and snatched her phone, hissing. "You are just a small demon."

"Probably. Now gimme back my phone so I can text my best friend."

"No."

"We harass you because we love you, Rose. She's thrown you off so completely that Jazzy can get a read on you often instead of sometimes and when you want him to. And you make him sick sometimes."

He nodded, a slight furrow on his brow.

"And I can literally _see_ it, Rose."

A slow, controlled breath oozed out of Rosalie. Concern broke the indifferent mask on her face as she looked at Alice. "What do you see?"

The small vampire's eyes went blank before she could speak.

"Curious," Jasper murmured. "You know she wouldn't indulge you."

"I know."

Alice snapped back, focusing a grin on the both of them. "How's Bella feeling?"

Rosalie quirked an eyebrow.

"Close to screaming or punching someone. Why?"

Alice waved a hand dismissively and made a point of settling into her chair. "Just wait and listen."

Rosalie's gaze flicked to Bella's table and she stopped filtering out the buzz of the cafeteria. The group was caught up yet again in the excitement over the upcoming dance. Bella, however, fiddled with her earbuds in one hand and had the other in her hair as she leaned on the table. She did indeed seem ready to punch someone considering the way her eye twitched when Tyler asked if she'd decided who she wanted to go with again.

"Come on," Jessica insisted. "There has to be someone."

"Yeah." Mike nodded unnecessarily.

Bella rubbed her temple. "Guys, no."

"Maybe it's because you have no chance because you're a dyke."

Bella's jaw tensed and her eyes shut.

Silence spread from their table, infecting the closer ones.

"Maybe," Lauren continued, a smug smile on her face, "Maybe you wish Alice Cullen was more of a freak than she is and wasn't just stringing you along for fun. She takes your hand and drags you around like a plaything."

"This isn't what I saw," Alice whispered, her tone tainted by some mortification for her best friend. "Why'd she open her mouth?"

Jasper locked onto Rosalie's arm, which had started vibrating from her low growl the moment a few tears spilled from Bella's eyes. "Don't you dare move, Rose."

Bella stood up, bristling with emotion. She swallowed hard and her voice quaked. "Shut your fucking mouth, Lauren. Don't talk about Alice."

"Why? I'm not the one stopping you from getting freaky with the freak. She's so fucking weird and that'd be great for you if she actually liked a thing about you. But she's just crazy and—"

Bella jumped onto her chair and launched across the table.

As Lauren screamed, Alice shot up from her chair and grabbed Jasper's arm, pulling him. "Let's go. Now." She shook her head at Rosalie as they hurried outside.

Then Rosalie smelled the first traces of it.

Blood.

Bella had elbowed Mike in the nose when he tried to pull her off of Lauren, who had a firm grip on Bella's hair and scratched wildly at her attacker.

Her chair fell as she jerked to her feet. She didn't know when she stopped breathing. Rosalie's senses screamed and she fought the hunter inside of her as she bolted over, barely refraining from vampiric speeds as the spectating students moved for her or found themselves shoved aside. Distantly, she felt glad she hadn't worn heels today.

Mike and Tyler were again trying to break up the fight as she arrived. She nearly glared at them, but she knew her eyes were black. They felt the distinct air of a predator, however, and retreated. Rosalie caught Bella's wrist.

She uncurled her fist at the cool touch almost instantly. Bella released one of Lauren's arms but grabbed it again when she thrashed and hit her jaw.

A couple staff members had almost cut through the dense crowd around them.

"Whatever your name is, let go of Bella's hair. Being a bitch is an art and you are a disgrace."

She released Bella's hair and scooted away as Rosalie pulled Bella to her feet. Despite her swelling eye, Lauren saw the cold hostility on Rosalie's face and her raging heart stuttered. She twitched when Bella pointed a finger at her.

"Don't fucking talk about Alice again. This dyke pulled all her punches and is sick of petty fuckin' whores like you."

* * *

Bella's head thudded against her truck as she leaned against it. She took in a long breath. Cursed quietly.

Blurring over, Rosalie tilted her head, staring at the human.

Bella's brow furrowed for a moment. Then she opened her eyes and her lips parted a little in surprise at seeing her company.

Rosalie knew her voice was painfully flat before she spoke. "I didn't make a sound. The wind was already coming this way."

"Yeah, but then roses came on the breeze."

A small, crooked smile came to Rosalie's lips.

"Surprised you're here. Hell, surprised you were there."

She shrugged a shoulder.

"You should go get a snack."

Rosalie stepped closer, gaze travelling down. As Bella looked down with her, Rosalie reached out and pulled Bella's right hand from her hoodie pocket and held it between her own. Predictably, Bella's heart jumped. The vampire closed her eyes.

"Uhm…"

"To keep your knuckles from swelling too terribly."

"Th-Thanks."

"Are you alright?"

Bella sighed. "Charlie's going to kill me. He's out because of a robbery, otherwise I'd be dead already. He told me so. Loudly. Lauren's mom didn't seem too surprised about it. Her father was livid. The mom dragged him into the hall and when they came back, they decided they weren't going to press any charges. She looked at Lauren like she deserved it and I swear I heard her whisper 'thank you' to me, but then again, I'm a crazy bitch."

"Perhaps she despises the degenerate that is her daughter and hopes she's learned her lesson and will go on to have a life that amounts to something instead of acting like a child."

"Yeah, well, she's not the one who attacked someone."

Rosalie smirked. "That's putting it lightly. You dived across a table. Two of your suitors couldn't make you stop shaking and hitting that girl. Black eye, busted lip, some bruises."

"Ugh, gross, no. Don't call them suitors. I might vomit. And she called Alice crazy and shit."

"You didn't have to do all of that, you know. She's used to it."

"Well, fuck that. I know that word upsets her. I love Alice and I'm not just going to watch someone talk shit about her when she's clearly a great person." Bella sighed before quietly adding, "I'm tired of people like her."

Rosalie hummed, adjusting her hold on Bella's hand.

"Uh, sorry my hand is sweaty."

"You cannot control the disgusting human things you do. Besides, the warmth could be considered pleasant if I was delirious."

Bella snorted. She watched some kid stare at them as he skipped the last class of the day and made for his car.

"Perhaps they will call me a dyke next."

Worried brown eyes glanced at the indifference on Rosalie's face. "I'll fight them, too."

"Oh? You will defend my honor?"

Bella swallowed and nodded vigorously, unsure what to say in response to what sounded like playful undertones in Rosalie's voice.

"Alice keeps a mental tally of how many times you say you'll fight something. You know, if they had decided to press charges, Esme is also a lawyer."

"Holy shit, really?"

"Edward as well."

Bella scoffed. "I'd rather die."

"Don't say things like that. Am I too cold?"

"No, no, not at all. It's fine."

Rosalie's eyes wandered, tracing the various scratches on Bella's face and they lingered on a bruise that would dominate a section of her jaw. "You don't have to spare my feelings. You're shivering."

"I'm from Phoenix."

"Fair point. Regardless, shall we go?"

"Go where?"

Rosalie's shoulders moved in a slow shrug, as if she was thinking. "I'm certain you're not returning to school any time soon."

"I don't want to go home."

"You don't have to."

Bella looked up at her, but Rosalie wouldn't meet her eyes. Despite the temperature outside, her hand started feeling hot the very second Rosalie's hands fell away from hers.

"I'm certain there are a dozen places Alice would love to take you."

* * *

Rosalie flew into the house, coming to a sudden stop halfway up the stairs. The railing was just short of screaming and breaking apart in her grip. Her amber eyes focused on it, steadying herself. She'd barely remembered to put up her mental walls, she didn't need to slip and throw off Jasper too. But should she even be here in this state?

A small hand covered hers. Looking up, she saw Alice frowning down at her, but her gaze travelled farther and stayed on Edward. He stood in front of her room as if he'd stopped walking suddenly with a frown quite different from Alice's. Rosalie had seen it once or twice before. He was trying to piece together something that he had missed, something his instincts had been trying to tell him.

"What did you hear?"

His eyes burned into her. The furrow in his brow deepened as he actively navigated her mind, but her thoughts were singular. "Nothing over the chaos and the headache you gave me. What are you keeping from me?"

Alice gently squeezed her hand. "Come with me."

Edward appeared next to them before Rosalie could respond. He had no eyes for Alice, not even when she touched his arm. "Tell me."

"Well," Rosalie said, fixing a glare on him, "I have hidden one of your piano strings."

"I am serious."

Alice huffed. "Being serious and being taken seriously are two different things."

"Edward."

The trio of siblings looked toward Esme, who had appeared near the bottom of the stairs. A swatch of blue paint rested idly between her fingers.

"I have a right to know. She's keeping something from me. You're _all_ keeping something from me. Am I not trusted? Esme, she does this to spite me. Isabella Swan is my singer and I believe her to be my—"

"Have you considered that not everything is about you?"

He blinked down at her. As he opened his mouth, she cut across him.

"The ability to delve into a person's mind does not entitle you to know everything. Do you not trust us?"

"Of course I do."

"If that's true, why must you always insist on knowing everything?"

Shame flitted across his face. He shifted his weight and cleared his throat before whispering, "This is my singer."

"This is a person," Rosalie said. "She is more than your singer, more than something you desperately wish to kill."

"My secretly adopted, breakable child. Secret to her, that is."

Jasper's voice drifted from his room. "My friend."

Alice smiled at Edward, the pity in it making his shoulders sag. "My best friend."

At last, Rosalie turned around and looked Edward in his eyes.

He gasped, face twisting at her thoughts.

"My mate." It was but a whisper, and she continued that way, a slight, uncharacteristic tremble in her voice. "And I am terrified. I am as horrified as I am overjoyed."

Though it was often a stranger to him, shock made its home on his face. The silence thickened. He vaguely noted a slight distance in Alice's eyes as she searched the future. Because she feared his reaction, he realized. They all did. Slowly, his gaze found Rosalie's. The depths of her mind were open to him, as were her eyes. So much pain and fear. Guilt and ecstasy. Doubt and anticipation.

Edward moved suddenly, shame rippling through him as he saw Rosalie tense. He enveloped her in his arms and squeezed tightly. "I hope you consider this necessary contact."

Slowly, she reciprocated the hug, holding tightly onto him.

He squeezed harder in response. "I am so sorry, Rosalie."

A flash went off. Alice giggled as they released each other to stare at Esme.

She was frowning down at the camera she'd suddenly acquired when she clicked her tongue. "Of course the first time you two hug in decades is on the stairs." Esme pointed at the front door. "Go hug over there."

Rosalie sighed. "Is it not enough that you have photographic evidence of my tolerance for him?"

"I'm afraid I must agree. My ego has swollen drastically simply from her touching me."

"You're the pretentious one."

Alice and Esme rolled their eyes.

"Well, let's settle this with a civilized vote. Who's the most pretentious vampire?"

"Rosalie, must we continue to boost your ego with such attention?"

She waved him off before addressing Alice. "Take her somewhere. She doesn't want to be home or alone and there's something affecting her beyond that girl's words about you."

Alice's shoulders drooped. She traced a finger along the railing. "Have her scratches fully scabbed over with no chance of reopening?"

Edward inhaled sharply, closing his eyes.

"No. How did—"

Alice smiled a little sadly. "You're her mate. I think you'd starve to death before hurting her. Besides, your control is… something else, as we already know."

"A pity. Poor thing must be hungry and I wish to thank her. She's suspended a full week, correct?"

Alice, Edward, and Rosalie nodded at once.

"Oh, come down the stairs, will you? This is no way to converse. Now, I'm sure her father is, hm." She got an idea and glanced at Alice.

"Oooh, that's a great idea!"

"Agreed."

Rosalie rolled her eyes. "Hello?"

"I have a phone call to make, dear." Esme wrapped an arm around Rosalie's shoulders and kissed her temple. "Go. I don't care if you're literally shaking in terror or if there's terribly long silences. Go before I decide to bump into Bella. I'll lie and tell her you're actually a shy, awkward soul and you can't stop talking about her and it is just tearing me to pieces how distraught you are and that I've seen how she looks at you."

"You wouldn't."

"I'm your mom. I would take sadistic joy in it." Esme smiled and lightly pinched Rosalie's cheek. "You're so proud and perfect and confident that I would _love_ to embarrass you."

Alice and Edward snickered at the stunned horror on Rosalie's face as she weakly slapped away Esme's hand.

As Rosalie turned to leave, Edward touched her arm. "Will you forgive me?"

She stared at his hand for a moment. "It will be a process."

He nodded.

* * *

Rosalie cocked her head, watching Bella stare at a chessboard. She sat cross-legged on her bed, fingers drumming on the edge of the wood and her cheek resting on her fist. After a minute, her phone chimed and she looked at it before moving an opposing rook. She scowled.

"Fucker."

The curse seemed automatic, lacking feeling and almost tired. Arching an eyebrow, Rosalie contemplated when she should announce herself. But then Bella's head jerked up and brown eyes jumped to amber. After a moment, Rosalie tilted her head just enough for Bella to notice.

"Roses," she said plainly.

A hum answered her as Rosalie wandered into the room, her eyes travelling around as if she'd never been there before. "I forget about that."

"I know. It's odd."

The flat tone made Rosalie's gaze slide over to Bella, who stared at the chessboard halfheartedly. "How so?"

Bella's index finger tapped her own rook before she moved a pawn. She sent a text. "You're not forgetful."

A frown marred Rosalie's brow and she leaned back against the dresser, crossing her arms. Control always belonged to her, or at the very least she would pretend it did until it became true, but that was never a concern around Bella. But she just felt so damned lost about what to say or do and Bella's demeanor only served to make things feel more off than they already had.

"You really don't have to be here."

 _Just say something,_ she screamed at herself.

"I'm no good for company right now and you haven't looked me in the eyes since I noticed you." Her phone chimed but she didn't move. "I'm probably more of a mess than I thought."

"You're not going to say anything about me breaking and entering?"

"Best friends come through windows, doors are for chumps. Besides, you don't do windows, Hale."

At that moment, she felt inclined to taking off straight through the wall. "Does that hurt?"

Brown eyes dragged up to amber.

"Your fist is digging into the largest scratch on your cheek."

Bella shrugged. She checked her phone and frowned at the chessboard as she moved a white pawn.

"Who are you playing against?"

"Jasper."

Rosalie blinked.

"I suggested it and he texted me a move less than a minute later." She shrugged again.

A small smile pulled at Rosalie's lips. "Would you mind leaving it to come with me?"

Bella's lips parted, but she only made an indistinct noise before closing her mouth and sighing. "If someone's making you be here, you can just say you were and I'll back you up."

Rosalie uncrossed her arms and lifted a rock off of Alice's jacket. She turned it over in her hand, examining every groove of it. "Why do you still have this?"

Bella snorted. "A memento for the start of our friendship and the wicked bruise you gave me."

"I'm sorry."

The quick response made Bella look up at her. "What?"

"For hurting you."

She shrugged, a slight curve to her lips. "It's fine. I cursed your name every time I put weight on my right leg."

"Yes, I quite often heard that."

"But you couldn't apologize."

"I must admit I felt more triumph than remorse."

Bella rolled her eyes and in a few minutes, she walked into the forest behind her house with Rosalie. For a half hour, they travelled in silence aside from the sounds nature enveloping them and of animals going about their daily excursions. The entire concept of a town even existing nearby faded as went deeper and the gentle rush of a river reached Rosalie's ears.

Finally, during an upward part of their trek, Bella spoke. "You're not going to ask?"

Amber eyes tracked a bird hopping through some branches above them. It gave a brief call and in a few seconds she spotted another bird making its way to the first. "About which thing?"

A sharp huff of air left Bella. "The dyke thing."

"Well, that's a vulgar, derogatory term so I doubt I would use it. You're not going to ask about the vampire thing?"

"What's there to ask? Like, sure I have questions, but vampirism doesn't equate you. You know what I mean? Of course you do." Bella used her shoe to scuff at some plant growth on a tree she couldn't identify. "They're probably rude anyway, at least for now."

"Your preferences don't equate you," Rosalie countered. "You asked Edward a variety of questions."

"Don't care about being rude to him."

Rosalie stopped, briefly touching Bella's arm to gain her attention. She ignored the fact she wished the girl didn't have sleeves. "Please do relax. You're going to give yourself a heart condition."

Red tinted Bella's cheeks as she looked off into the trees surrounding them.

"I believe questioning your sexuality is rude. If you wanted to mention it, you would."

Bella rolled her shoulders, swallowing as she fixated on a fallen tree branch. "So we're still friends?"

Her words stunned Rosalie to silence. The concept alone shocked her and it doubled at the very idea of Bella thinking she wouldn't want her friendship. Frankly, such a world did not, could not exist to her.

Yet wasn't that something she had intended on?

Such stupidity.

Rosalie caught Bella's hand as she reached up to scratch at one of her scabbing cuts on her face. Her index finger gently tilted up Bella's chin so their eyes would meet. "There is nothing in this world that will keep me from you."

She hadn't meant to say that. She didn't say anything about friendship. That was closer to a declaration of love than anything else. When she realized she was still touching Bella, her hands dropped and she stepped back, watching a leaf fall.

"Did you develop that habit as a vampire or did you always do that?"

Amber eyes returned to her sharply.

Bella rubbed the back of her neck, looking away awkwardly. "You stop breathing when you're nervous. That's not the word I'm looking for, though. It's basically your 'oh shit' moments." She shrugged too quickly.

"I do not get nervous."

"Well, when you're displeased with an outcome, then."

"Perhaps I could agree."

Bella rolled her eyes and started walking again. "So you're fine with it?"

Rosalie casually circled a tree, feeling its grooves under her fingers. "You may not recall due to the drugs, but I stated that I enjoy the structure of your face as well."

Bella stumbled over a small rock and coughed.

The vampire smiled to herself a little. She changed directions suddenly.

"Where are you going?"

"There's an embankment overlooking a river nearby. You're beginning to huff and puff and I thought you might like to sit."

"I wouldn't huff and puff if we weren't going up a fucking mountain," Bella grumbled.

"You wouldn't huff and puff if you were fit," Rosalie called over her shoulder.

"I'd be a vampire and I'd still do this."

Rosalie didn't say anything. Given that Bella didn't offer up anything else, she seemed to notice the change in Rosalie's air. After a few minutes, they reached the embankment and the vampire sat down, dangling her legs over the edge and watching the water rush by below them.

"Rosalie?"

She looked up at Bella.

"How, why… How could you stay?"

Rosalie hummed, patting the spot next to her before leaning back on her hands. She crossed her long legs as she waited for Bella to sit. She didn't miss that the girl mirrored her posture.

Bella waited.

"I've thrown Alice into this exact river before."

"You make this hard."

Rosalie closed her eyes. Bella's tone made it sound like the hundredth time she'd said it, but the girl seemed tired of everything lately. Not to mention she didn't enjoy hearing it the first time. Hearing it again made her sigh. She summoned the memory of Esme reminding her that she condemned stupidity.

 _Do or don't. Pick one. You're Rosalie Hale for fuck's sake._

Bella sighed, looking down the river.

"Why don't you run?"

She took a moment to respond. "How deep are we going, Aristotle?"

"I don't know." She couldn't even care about the vulnerability in her voice. It didn't make her feel weak in front of Bella. "I feel like Alice. Lewis Carroll's Alice. I'm descending farther into what I don't know or understand and it's no use going back to yesterday."

"Because you were a different person then?"

Rosalie snorted. "You really are a bookworm, aren't you? But yes. I begin to wonder if I've been the same this entire time."

"I like to think we're all the same self in the end as the beginning, but we only had access to certain sections of ourselves through life."

"How old are you?"

Bella hesitated.

"If you don't want to answer, you only have to say so."

"No, no. It's just that I forget because I like to see what ages I get away with. Doesn't help my birthday just—"

"I missed your birthday?"

She blinked at Rosalie's glare and rolled her shoulders. "Uh, yeah. I'm seventeen now."

"When?"

"September thirteenth."

Rosalie frowned down at the river. "Well you seem much wiser than that, though you could stand to minimize use of curse words."

"How old were you when you, uh, you know?" She straightened, awkwardly gesturing at the vampire.

Rosalie closed her eyes. Her fingers scraped into the earth as they curled into fists, the only outward indicator of distress from her otherwise relaxed position.

"Sorry. That was rude. Why'd you throw Alice into this river?" When Rosalie didn't respond, she rubbed her wrist and cleared her throat. "Did you know fucking Mercury basically doesn't have—"

"An atmosphere." Rosalie inhaled slowly and opened her eyes, staring at the water passing by. "I was eighteen."

Bella drew up her legs and wrapped her arms around her knees. "Edward said that when it happens, it makes you guys prettier and shit."

"That is not how I would put it, but that is correct."

Bella nodded vigorously and coughed, looking off into the forest behind them. Her words came out in a rush. "I'd bet there wasn't much to improve on for you."

Rosalie's eyes snapped to her, but the girl kept staring in any other direction. She could hear the wild thudding in her chest.

"Why, Swan, why," she whispered.

Even sitting beside her, Rosalie scarcely heard the words. She smiled lightly to herself. "You give the most unique compliments I've had the pleasure of receiving."

"Well."

"Well what?"

Bella grunted. "So how could you stay?"

"I believe I asked you the same thing."

She glanced at the blonde. "And we don't know where the hole leads?"

An almost lazy smile pulled at Rosalie's lips as she shrugged. "Hopefully a wonderland."

"You realize this raises more questions."

"I do."

"Is the wonderland the place where we don't question our friendship?"

Rosalie hummed.

Bella rolled her eyes. "How articulate of you, Aristotle." She sighed, crossing her legs and poking at a worn patch of denim near her knee. "I stay because you guys could fuck me up if you wanted to. What point is there in running?"

The blonde straightened, cleaning dirt from under her nails.

"I don't know what answer you're looking for."

"Is that the answer you desired to give?"

Bella hesitated. "Yes."

"Then I am satisfied."

She ran a hand through her hair. "You seriously make this hard."

Rosalie idly listened to Bella's heart for a minute. "As do you."

" _Me_?"

"That is the second time you've squawked."

" _I do not squawk, Hale_."

A shrug.

Pitching a small piece of wood into the river, Bella made a frustrated noise between a growl and a scream. "Is it really so odd that I enjoy being around you?"

"Yes," she said simply.

Bella stared at her, unable to see her face through her veil of hair.

Rosalie didn't look away from the river. "No one's desired to be my friend regardless of circumstance." She shifted, now facing Bella with her entire body. She absently watched the girl do the same.

"What about Alice and Jasper and, er, you know, everyone else?"

Rosalie shook her head slightly. "I wasn't chosen for _friendship_ , especially not for my flawless personality."

Bella raised an eyebrow. "'Chosen?'"

She watched a bug flitter above the river. "Alice knew I'd be family, that at the core, I would care. For two years, there was a consistent disregard of my attitude and watchful eyes, like I was an animal who would be domesticated at some point. Then… perhaps an attempt at being domesticated, or proving I wasn't. I'm unsure." Rosalie sighed, brushing some dirt off her jeans. "I was completely discourteous toward you from the start, but you still jumped up to go outside the cafeteria with me when I asked. In fact, I'm still rather rude to you sometimes, but you ask for no explanation. Nor do you seem to mind. It's always viewed as something to disregard, as if it's merely white noise and not something of substance."

"Like they love you even though you're a bitch instead of loving you for being a bitch too."

"That is not quite what I meant, nor what I would call it."

"Call it a difference in pronunciation."

"Well, as I was saying, it seems as though you enjoy it."

Bella smirked. "I do."

"And if I never become polite?"

"I'm an asshole, so what do I care?"

A small, genuine smile came to Rosalie's lips.

Inevitably, Bella's heartrate increased. "Do you enjoy it?"

"I do. It's become a bit of a fun game for me."

"Like steering me through a dark garage into everything you can?"

Rosalie rolled her eyes. "It wasn't _everything_ , to be fair."

"Ha, yeah. Fair."

While Bella squinted at some animal in the distance, Rosalie gently lifted her right hand and inspected her swollen knuckles. "How badly does it hurt?"

Bella shrugged.

Rosalie held her hand between her own. She almost asked if it helped, but Bella sighed and her shoulders relaxed a little, so Rosalie took that as an answer instead. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine."

A blonde eyebrow quirked. "Let me rephrase that. What else made you physically attack whatever-her-name-is and currently resides negatively in the background of your emotions?"

"So specific." Bella snorted, but after a moment, she withdrew her hand from Rosalie and exhaled slowly. "Aside from making things easier for Renèe and Phil, coming to Forks let me get away from a lot of people."

Rosalie waited an entire two minutes. "Are you going to continue?"

"It's just, it, she," Bella's speech dissolved into an irritated huff as she ran a hand through her hair. "Josephine was basically my only friend and I developed a crush on her and she wanted to know why I'd been acting weird and so I explained. Not like I wanted anything, which I also explained." She absently glared at her own knee. "Rising in popularity, able to buy whatever she wanted thanks to mommy and daddy, great looks. Obviously out of my league. Dumber than a brain dead pelican and no taste in literature and sarcasm goes right over her head, so you can see why I didn't care. But we were supposed to be friends. Instead Jo reacts kinda fine and winds up talking with me about it a lot and runs to the popular, gay-bashing assholes and makes a big damn thing out of it. She gets the golden seal of official popularity and closer to the guy she has a crush on and everyone hops on the wagon of pushing me around for cool points. I know, high school, so it's whatever, but people were literally pushing me into things and down a flight of stairs once and spilling things on me and my stuff. I even had eggs thrown at me."

Bella scoffed. "I remember egg day. I almost lost it, like seriously ready to start stabbing people. What'd I have to lose anyway? I decided I was never going back to that school because I've always had this nagging feeling in the background that, uh, er, shit. Let's just say I knew I couldn't lose my shit yet so I didn't want to go back. Anyway, so as I'm cleaning egg off my fucking backpack, Jo comes over crying and saying she's sorry and shit and Brad just wanted to get into her pants and was in the pants of like four other girls at the same time. I slammed the door in her face. The thing is, we had openly gay kids, a lot of them, but they were all in circles that'd fuck you up some way and I didn't have that and I was already weird, but come on. Idiots with nothing better to do, I swear."

With a long sigh, she rubbed her temple and at last looked up. The vampire sat stiff before her, eyes black and full of rage. Bella's shoulders sagged.

"So," Rosalie said, voice cold, "You lost it when that girl tried to pull a similar stunt."

"Basically." She stared at the river, flicking a small chunk of dirt toward it.

"I imagine her 'great looks' will match her ugly heart sooner rather than later."

Bella snorted. "Everyone looks like a pile of vomit baking in the sun next to you, Rosalie."

Her glare softened. "That is terribly vivid."

"And not close to recommended as a way to compliment someone."

"No," Rosalie chuckled. "But it's somehow endearing." When she saw Bella suddenly focus on her, she cleared her throat. "I believe it's my turn. You ask how I stayed when my siblings fled, correct?"

"Yeah. And now, I guess? I'm assuming Alice didn't come like you said because of this." Bella vaguely pointed at the scratches on her face and the ones hidden under her sleeves.

Rosalie cocked her head, a furrow coming to her brow. "You don't worry I'll snap and kill you?"

"Not particularly."

"You truly are odd."

"Hey, being taken out by you is pretty acceptable to me. 'Bella Swan, killed by most gorgeous vampire in existence' doesn't have a bad ring to it."

Rosalie covered her mouth to stifle a laugh, but it didn't stop the amusement from reaching her eyes. "Even I wouldn't make such a claim. Perhaps _among_ the most gorgeous, but I doubt I've met enough vampires to be fully certain. Besides, such claims are asking for the wrath of the Volturi Queens."

Bella waved a hand. "I'll tell off Aphrodite, I don't give a fuck. Honesty is the best policy and I can honestly stand by my claim."

"You truly must stop being so nonchalant about death. And please, never again suggest even the idea of me killing you."

With a slight, almost sad smile, Bella stared into the abyss of Rosalie's eyes. "I promise not to suggest that again. I'm sorry, I didn't know it'd upset you so much."

"I," Rosalie stopped, closing her eyes. "I really do care about you, Bella."

Hesitantly, Bella touched her fingertips to Rosalie's knee. "I don't doubt that anymore."

"For how long?"

"What?"

"How long did you doubt it?"

"Probably as long as you did."

Rosalie's eyes opened and her gaze focused on Bella's fingers. "I was able to stay because I have excellent control. I have never slipped."

"That's not your full answer."

"The truth is hardly ever simple."

"No, it's really not."

It almost physically pained her to move her knee from under Bella's fingertips, but she did so anyway. She faced the river once more, falling into her thoughts. "In a waiting game, if all participants are waiting on another to make a move so that they may in turn, isn't it foolish?"

Bella dangled her legs over the embankment and laughed a little darkly. "Absolutely. Might as well just do something to begin with."

* * *

 **A/N:** 'Bout to slam their heads together if they don't get their shit together, I swear.

Hope you enjoyed it and look forward to their next interaction as much as I do. I'll see you guys next time.


	12. Taciturn

**A/N:** I've moved twice but I'm all settled now. (Also got addicted to a new game but shush) Thanks for coming, including all the new people since I last updated. Let's get this gay ass ship sailing.

* * *

When she heard Charlie's cruiser, Bella took a deep breath and left her room. Dread weighed her down as she descended the stairs, but it was quiet—tired. If their conversation was going to go horribly, Alice would've told her.

Right?

Bella shuffled into the living room and perched on the arm of the couch as Charlie unlocked the door. Really, they should get a new couch. And wallpaper. Maybe paint the walls a new color. Heart thumping, she ran her palms on her jeans and fought back a laugh. She looked around for an exit like people did around the vampires she relaxed with.

Charlie tossed down his keys and met her gaze, lips pressed into a thin line. He grabbed a chair from the kitchen and spun it, setting it down backwards before sitting in front of Bella. A long sigh escaped him as he crossed his arms over the back of the chair.

Bella's leg bounced.

"How's your hand?"

"Fine."

He nodded once. "And those scratches?"

"Fine. Itchy. Only the bruise really bothers me."

Charlie eyed the dark tint dominating her chin and cheek. "It wouldn't if you didn't get in a fight."

"I—"

"Excuse me," Charlie straightened, clearing his throat and staring at her pointedly. "If you didn't _throw yourself across a table_ at another student."

She shoved her hands into the pockets of her hoodie and stared at her bouncing leg.

"So you wanna tell me why?"

Bella closed her eyes.

"Honestly, you're the daughter of the police chief, Bella." He rubbed his temple. "You're too smart and too _lazy_ for this. Really. What could have been so important you'd—"

"Phoenix."

"What?"

She cleared her throat and spoke louder, "Phoenix."

Charlie frowned.

Her hands balled to fists. Bella opened her eyes, clenched her jaw. "I won't let it be like Phoenix."

He shifted, leaning back. The frown on his face deepened. "What happened in Phoenix?"

She shook her head and suddenly, laughed. "You should worry more about me with the Cullens than me with Jake."

"What?" He scratched his head a little. "What does this have to do with Phoenix and today?"

Her shoulder jerked up in a shrug and she made a popping sound in her lips. "Well, uhm, Lauren made a pretty big scene, saying a lot of terrible sh—er—stuff about Alice and, uh…" She shrugged again, looking anywhere but at him.

"Alice is the small one, right?" Receiving a nod, Charlie crossed his arms atop the chair again. "She's my favorite one. Respectful and responsible. Good to you, too. I could see why that would upset you, Bells, but your reaction? Don't see that too clearly. So 'and, uh' what?"

Bella glanced at him. "I love you."

The sudden confession flustered him, but he cleared his throat and mumbled something about it being mutual while rubbing the back of his neck. He coughed. "So—"

"Lauren made a thing, in addition to the stuff about Alice, calling me a stupid dyke in front of everyone. Basically. Yep. I can't get a date for the dance coming up because I'm a hopeless, freak dyke. Yep. Basically that. Yeah."

Charlie's eyes were wide and his lips parted as if he wanted to say something but couldn't figure out what.

Bella bit her lip. She looked at a wall, the ceiling, the floor, all while focusing on making her leg stop bouncing.

"Are you? A dyke?" He grimaced even as the word slipped out his mouth. "Gay. Are you gay?"

Her throat felt so tight she couldn't say anything if she wanted to. Of its own accord, her leg started bouncing again, wildly.

Charlie stared at her as though she'd transformed into an orangutan and spoke Portuguese.

After a minute of silence, Bella could swear the vampires could hear her heart even at this distance. Maybe Edward would swoop in because of it and kill her and save her from this wordless hell. Except, she wasn't that lucky. So, she jerked to her feet, eyes on the front door. "Do you want me to go?"

In his haste to stand, he knocked down his chair. "No! No."

Bella glanced at him.

Charlie rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't know what to do with this, I'll be honest. Did not expect this." He took a deep breath, frowning at the way Bella seemed ready to bolt at any moment. "Is that…Did your mother send you here because of that?"

She blinked at his almost dangerous tone and halfheartedly shrugged her shoulders. "Renèe didn't want to see or hear anything about it and told me I'd get over it and do the normal thing. She assured me I wasn't broken."

He rubbed his hand across his mouth and clenched his jaw, looking around for a moment. Just as Bella opened her mouth again, he yanked her into a tight hug.

"Charlie?" She wriggled in his grip a little to move her arms and gently hug him back, uncertainty obvious in her voice and movements.

"It doesn't make sense to me, kiddo. It doesn't. A man and a woman make sense. It's natural." He rubbed her back as he felt her try to shrink away. "To you, a woman and another woman feel that way. To you, that's natural."

"Are you sure?" she whispered.

"It doesn't make sense to me how you can't like fishing and you don't know how I enjoy it. I'm your father. I don't have to understand everything you do and think and feel, I have to make sure you're safe and happy. Will I need some time to adjust? Definitely. Will I have questions, yes. But this doesn't change anything, kiddo. Well, not a lot of things."

Bella sucked in her urge to cry and settled for squeezing Charlie until he wheezed.

He awkwardly patted her head before clearing his throat. "Hey, Bells?"

"Yeah?"

Charlie hesitated long enough to make her pull out the hug and raise an eyebrow at him. "Uh, are you and Alice, you know, uh—"

"No! Sweet baby Jesus, no!" She grimaced, shaking her head. "No way. At all. Never. Why would you even _ask_ that?"

"Well!" He shrugged and shook his hand in the air. After a moment of staring at each other, he scratched at his stubble. "Why not?"

"Charlie!"

"What? She's nice."

"I know that."

"And she's pretty, right?"

Bella groaned and rubbed her face. "Kill me."

He crossed his arms and shifted his weight awkwardly. "What's wrong with her? You said I should be more worried about the Cullens and you're pretty defensive about this. And her, considering you got in a fight about this."

"I just, I. You know what? I'm going to sleep."

"It's barely eight."

"Yeah, well, I think this is actually a nightmare."

Charlie rolled his eyes. "Denial is the first stage, Bells."

"I'm not _grieving_."

"Still."

She squinted at him. "Good night."

"Suit yourself. I'm going to drink a beer. Or a dozen."

"Mkay. I'll go sneak into Alice's window."

"What!"

Bella started for the stairs with a sigh. "It was a _joke_ , Charlie."

"Hey," he called.

She paused.

"Did you win?"

Bella snorted. "By a large margin, yeah, actually."

"Good. If that girl so much as looks at you wrong, you tell me. Oh, and Bella? You're still grounded."

She grunted.

"So I hope Esme has pity on you."

Bella spun around to look at him, making an inarticulate noise.

"Carlisle Cullen's wife," he clarified as if she didn't know. "She called me today and said she felt partially responsible for what happened. Don't know why. I mean, I know it was kind of about Alice, but, anyway. You're suspended so instead of getting into trouble or sleeping all day, you're reporting to her during school days."

Stupidly, her mouth fell open.

"That woman does _not_ take 'no' for an answer." Charlie shook his head a little. "We really need to do something for them."

Bella went to her room in a bit of a daze, thinking that she may never understand the coven of vampires.

* * *

After a largely uneventful weekend, though Bella caught Charlie staring at her more often, Monday morning settled in. And, like a sane person, Bella was sleeping. But then, from the depths of slumber, she heard light knocking. She also _felt_ it.

Slowly, she opened one eye and promptly closed it. She rolled over, mumbling, "It's too early for you to smile so brightly."

"I haven't seen you in 67 hours and 39 minutes!"

"I missed you too," Bella said into her pillow. She nearly smiled. She could practically feel the vampire's pout.

"Hmph."

Bella rolled back over in time to see Alice sit on the bed, crossing her arms. "What's going on?"

"Hmph."

With a roll of her eyes, Bella pulled her down and burrowed into her shoulder, yawning a little. "My life was consistent heartache without you. I thought I would die. There is no greater agony than being away from you."

Alice clicked her tongue, though she patted Bella's head. "You could do better."

"I just woke up."

"Late," added a cool voice from the hall.

Bella sat up a little to see Rosalie stop in the doorway, a slight annoyance breaking her bored expression.

"Oh, hush, Rose. There wasn't an appointment or anything."

Rosalie didn't deem Alice's words worthy of a response as her eyes glazed over Bella. Her nose crinkled. She turned on her heel and went back downstairs.

Bella got up, frowning at the empty doorway for a few heartbeats before looking at Alice. She mouthed, "What the fuck?"

Golden eyes rolled as she hopped out the bed. "I'll wait for you to finish your morning routine."

She watched Alice hum her way out and shook her head. As she grabbed clothes, she caught sight of the clock and gasped. "It's not even seven-thirty!"

"Esme waited as long as she could," Alice called from downstairs.

Either she was hearing things or Bella heard Rosalie sigh. She shook herself and set about her tasks, rushing so as not to keep her already impatient company waiting.

"Now."

Bella stumbled, missing a step as she went down the stairs. "Hey!"

Rosalie rolled her eyes while Alice smiled. "Sorry."

"Don't lie to me," Bella mumbled.

"Ah, ah." Alice hooked onto Bella's arm and steered her from the kitchen and toward the door.

"But food!"

"We're going to food, don't worry."

"Food?"

"I promise."

Bella grumped her way to the backseat of Rosalie's car, not missing the fact the she didn't make eye contact. Alice was closing her door by the time Bella opened hers. She almost made a comment about Rosalie backing out the driveway before she even shut her door. Almost. She felt unreasonably grumpy toward the stoic vampire, though, so she didn't bother and instead looked at the smiling one beside her.

"So how was your weekend? What'd you do? How was your talk with Charlie?"

Settling against the door, Bella started to rest her head against the window, but they immediately hit a bump in the road and her head smacked on the glass. She scowled toward their driver. "You know the answers to all of those."

"I do _not_. I don't invade your privacy too much."

"Too much."

"Bella."

"Fine." She rolled her eyes, adjusting her seatbelt. "Okay. Miss you. Okay."

Alice nodded. "Mostly good answers."

Rosalie snorted.

"So did you guys really split up and come in through the door and window?"

"Of course, silly! Best friends come through windows."

"Doors are for chumps," Bella said, meeting annoyed, gold eyes in the rearview mirror.

Alice leaned forward to pat Rosalie's shoulder. "Not that I think you're a chump, Rose. It's just the way things are."

" _I_ think she's a chump."

"Well, you're both incredibly rude so I can't say I'm surprised."

"I wonder if she thinks I'm a chump."

A derisive sigh answered her.

Alice shook her head and they lapsed into the silence for the rest of the drive.

* * *

"Would you like another stack or more eggs, dear?"

"No!" As Esme's eyes widened, Bella cleared her throat and stood with her empty plate, edging her way to the sink. Anymore pancakes or eggs and she could die. "No, no thank you. I treasured every bite, Mrs. Cullen."

Esme cut her off and swiped away the plate, waving a finger at Bella's protest. "You are a guest." As she started washing it off, she glanced over her shoulder. "So, just Cullen now?"

Bella rubbed the back of her neck. "Well, uh, I—"

"You will always be on the best terms with me," Alice asserted as she spun into the kitchen.

Esme clicked her tongue. "How uncharacteristically presumptuous of you."

"I disagree."

"Until I go up in rank, at least," Jasper said as he stuck his head in the kitchen. "Miss Swan, would you care to finish our game in person?"

"Mind if I watch?"

Brown eyes looked between the two, and as she spoke, she watched a subtle smile slide onto Jasper's face. "Sure thing."

"Remember, winning isn't everything, dear," Esme said with a slight wave.

Alice tugged Bella along after Jasper toward their room. Passing the living room, Bella made eye contact with Rosalie, whose lip curled. Bella scowled in return.

Jasper chuckled.

Bella huffed as she nearly tripped on a step and thankfully made it to their room in one piece. She hardly got to look around as Alice released her to hop onto the bed and cross her legs, waiting. Jasper swiftly set down a chessboard and arranged their pieces in a flurry of movement that Bella's eyes couldn't follow. He pulled out an old, wood chair and gestured for her to sit. Of course, she could sit, or fall, all by herself, but she decided to simply accept his kindness and thank him quietly before staring down at the board.

"Your set is so nice I don't want to touch it."

"Rose ate one of the original black knights."

Bella blinked at the pieces. They had a simple elegance to them, as did the board with its swirling design at the edges. She looked up at Alice. "What?"

Jasper shook his head. "I'm honored to play it with you."

She looked between them before settling on the blond. "Honestly, I don't want to get my human stains on it."

"Human stains?" He asked slowly, blinking.

Alice rolled her eyes. She muttered, too low for Bella to hear, "Someone's been around Rose too much."

"Uh, yeah."

Jasper cleared his throat, holding Bella's gaze. "I mean it. Playing with the set I carved for the first time with my first friend outside of the family means a great deal to me."

Bella's mouth fell open a little while Alice beamed. "Uhm, I'd hug you, but, well, human. And I'm not big with physical contact."

"A testament to your love for my Alice and your growing tolerance of me, I dare say."

"Let me correct you. My growing _affection_ for you. The only person I tolerate in existence is Rosalie Hale."

Something slammed down somewhere downstairs, and the vague sounds of Esme chastising could be heard.

Alice and Jasper laughed at the same time. As a result, Bella smiled and moved one of her pawns. "You never used this set before?"

He shook his head, taking his turn. "I made it and left it in the living room as sort of a gift to the family."

"And Rosalie just…ate one?" She glanced at Alice.

The small vampire nodded. "Edward swore for the literal hundredth time he wouldn't read her mind while they played. He did every time."

Though she stared at the board, Bella raised an eyebrow. "I bet they both felt like asses."

"Rosalie was nothing short of horrified for an entire year," Jasper said with a small smile. He tapped a black knight. "She carved this as a replacement and as an apology in addition to her thousands of verbal ones."

"May I?" When Jasper nodded, Bella picked it up and studied it. "I can't imagine her apologizing so much."

"She's nothing if not sincere."

"True," Bella muttered. Though similar to the rest of the set, this piece had smoother lines, as if belonging to a fancier set, and the face looked a little wider. She returned it to its square and finished her turn.

Jasper's lips pulled down at one corner and a line appeared on his brow. "Why do you keep doing that?"

"Hmm?"

Alice scooted closer, head tilted and eyes darting between their pieces as she searched for what she missed.

Jasper moved a pawn, setting up for his rook to be taken.

Bella ignored it, moving a bishop only one square over.

"That!" Jasper pulled the board closer to himself, staring down at it. "I just don't understand. You made an opening for me to take your knight with zero repercussions and minimal effect to my strategy. Then you didn't take my rook. You didn't even make your knight safe." He frowned at the board, studying it. "You started doing something like this after the twelfth game. So is the number twelve or thirteen significant? Thirteen is 'unlucky—'"

"You're not going to figure out anything, Jazz."

His head jerked up. "Why is she doing it?"

Esme knocked on the doorframe. "You okay, Jasper?"

"I don't understand."

Alice coughed, holding back her laughter.

"You know?"

"No, just funny." She coughed.

Esme covered up a smile.

Bella frowned at Jasper's distress as he stared down at the board again. "Hey—"

"You'd tell me if you wanted to stop playing, wouldn't you?"

"Of course."

He looked up at Bella. "Then are you a secret chess prodigy? You've done this for a majority of our 87 games. I don't even know what I should be looking for."

Alice caught Bella's hand before she could scratch at her face.

"Oh, shit. Thanks. Forgot about those."

Alice nodded.

"Hey, should I even be here? I know the scratches are basically healed up, but I don't wanna—"

Jasper waved her off as he continued to study their game.

Esme stepped into the room. "He's just not breathing, and even then, we have Alice's sight."

"Sorry," Bella blurted at Esme, who looked confused. "Sorry about cursing. Sorry, Jasper."

He waved absently again.

Esme rolled her eyes.

"Sorry you have to babysit, Alice."

"Are you kidding? This has been wildly entertaining for me. Right, Jazz?" When he nodded without looking up, Alice smiled a little and got off the bed to rub his shoulder.

Bella looked up at Esme. "So, what can I do?"

"Whatever you want, as long as it doesn't make me tired, dear."

Alice chuckled at Bella's confused expression. "We play a lot of pranks and instead of Truth or Dare, we just play Dare."

A degree of horror came onto Bella's face as she thought about what shenanigans they could get into. She regarded Esme just as the woman sighed. "You have my sympathy."

"Trust me, I need it."

Bella shook her head. "Well. I meant what I could do for you, though." Seeing Esme's eyebrow raise, she continued, "Charlie said you had things for me to do so I wouldn't get into trouble or sleep all day."

Alice snorted.

Esme chuckled, waving her hand in the air. "Oh, no. I just wanted to kidnap you."

"Oh." Bella blinked. "So is everyone just skipping today?"

"Edward's the only one of us that isn't sick. It might last the whole week," Jasper mumbled down at the chessboard.

"How convenient."

"That's how we roll, Bells!"

Esme and Bella rolled their eyes at the same time.

Alice pouted.

"I doubt Charlie will buy that if he finds out."

Esme shrugged. "What would you like to do? Or would you like to be kidnapped by Rose now?"

Alice snickered just as Rosalie yelled from downstairs, "Rosalie is not interested in kidnapping anyone."

Bella jerked her thumb toward the open door. "What she said."

Esme's eyes narrowed, just a little.

"Uh, you know, I think I heard her say my name." Bella started getting up and pushing in her chair.

"I did no such a thing," she called.

"Going to hang out with Rosalie?" Bella nodded when Esme only blinked. "Right now. Yup."

"No!"

Bella waved at Alice and trotted out the room. However, by the time she got downstairs, the blonde vampire was nowhere to be found. "Shit." She stepped up the open sliding door at the back of the house. Brown eyes looked around the immediate vicinity of the yard and the trees beyond it. "Uh," she said loudly, "I think my kidnapper is really bad at kidnapping and needs to get a day job. They left before I was properly secured in the van."

Not a minute later, a small blur appeared next to Bella. "Let's go throw rocks at cars."

Bella jumped in surprise. "Wh-What?"

"Alice!"

Half-expecting Esme to appear next, Bella peered into the house. "I might be the one getting kidnapped, but I'm voting for a different activity."

Alice crossed her arms. "You're being kidnapped. Your concern isn't in our activities, but in staying alive."

"That escalated quickly."

Alice rolled her eyes, grabbing Bella's wrist and dragging her along. "Let's go not throw rocks at cars."

* * *

Maybe a half-hour after the two had left, Rosalie hopped out of a tree and wandered back into the house. She was thankful Esme hadn't come to scold her, and only some of it had to do with embarrassment. This was the third time she'd _technically_ run away from Bella.

Maybe she was going insane.

She drew the curtains in her room and if she tried hard enough, she could pretend it was night instead of day. Time was odd for a vampire anyway. Not to mention an arbitrary concept.

She shook her head.

For a moment, she considered turning on the light, but decided against it. She stood in the middle of her room, in the dark, uncertain why she was there. She could be with Bella right now. Even though she'd particularly been a bit of a bitch to her all day, Rosalie had no doubt the human would spend time with her.

And probably enjoy it.

So why had she decided to hide in a tree instead?

Why was she being such a bitch?

A small smirk came and went. When _wasn't_ she a bitch?

Eventually, she realized her gaze lingered on her vanity, so she went over. Turned on its light, sat down. Taking a large, unnecessary breath, she looked up and into the mirror.

Physical perfection met her eyes.

" _You can hiss and curse me if you want, but, well, is that why you don't look at anything reflective? Because you only see something designed to destroy, and only in that way perfect?"_

She looked at reflective things a lot, but only this one, this mirror.

But for a human to notice, to guess the reason why?

She closed her eyes.

She didn't have to look in the mirror to see the reflection, she knew it far too well. A jawline that complemented her face perfectly, blonde hair without a single flaw. Cheekbones that were pronounced just enough. Lips the perfect size and softness. A complexion only being a vampire could give.

Eyes only being a vampire could give.

Esme caught her wrist before she could shatter the mirror.

She didn't say anything and Esme didn't release her.

After studying a groove in her vanity, she dragged her eyes up to Esme's reflection. Such sadness.

At last, Esme let go. She sighed heavily.

"She doesn't know I'm a monster."

Esme held her gaze in the mirror for nearly five minutes. Then her eyes drifted, inspecting features of the blonde's face.

"She almost cut open her hand on some glass to see the vampire side of me."

"There is no 'vampire side' of you. You are a vampire."

Their eyes met in the mirror again. "You're illustrating my point."

"Maybe you are a monster."

Rosalie's gaze dropped. She sat, frozen.

Esme rested a hand on her shoulder. "But if you are, it's because you always have been. Some show themselves to truly be predators if you try to kill them. Others just die because they will never be more than prey. They live to die."

Rosalie met her eyes curiously.

"Royce was a monster to cover up the fact he lived to die."

"I—"

"You're a predator, but you're no monster. You could be, but you've chosen to be better, to be more. Have you tried to see if she's the same?"

Rosalie blinked, staring down at her hairbrush.

The older vampire squeezed her shoulder and started to leave.

"Esme?"

She turned around even though Rosalie didn't look up.

"Do you think there's a difference between rape and murder?"

A pause. "Yes, yes I do."

"What is it?" She whispered.

"You."

After Esme closed the door behind her, the blonde looked up at the mirror. She tried to look without critiquing or judging and, for the first time, to just see Rosalie Hale.

Amber eyes shined back at her.

* * *

 **A/N:** Surprise feels trip, whew. Also, can you imagine Alice and Bella throwing rocks at cars? Lol

Anyway, see you guys soon and thanks for reviewing and following and favoriting. I reread the shit out of the reviews. I still can't believe the stats on this story.

 **boxofwine:** I approved the review ASAP so no one could snipe the 100th spot. You're the bee's knees.

 **lx:** I treasure the one kudos you would give me. I keep it on my nightstand.

 **RR:** I'm super glad you're enjoying Esme. And Bella's habit of being terribly vivid lol Edward still has a ways to go.

 **Guest who was rereading every day:** I'm going to call you, uh, Beowulf. I promise not to keep you waiting so long this time 3


	13. Stars Misaligned

**A/N:** So this is actually delayed by a little over a week because I was in a sling and as an active person, I was going batshit crazy. Not to mention it was my dominant arm. Anyway, progress! So much progress. It's starting, trust me, and I am so excited. Oh, and RR, your eyes were not deceiving you, Rosalie was absolutely jealous lol Also, this chapter marks the official 50k+ mark for this story.

When you get to the end, keep your pitchforks. Seems like maybe a step sideways, but it's actually a large step forward. Plus the next chapter is literally Esme meddling and (fun spoilers). I'm already slapping at my keyboard for chapter 15. Aaand I just got internet, so, people I owe PMs, expect those soon.

* * *

"So what'd you do today, kiddo?"

"Uh." Bella looked up from her book. Chess with Jasper and hanging out with Alice might've been Esme's idea of not being in trouble, but it wasn't Charlie's. "Cleaned the windows."

Charlie slowly closed the fridge, frowning at her.

"Have you seen their house?"

"No."

"It's just windows. So many windows. It's like from the saying about glass houses and going slow so you win the race."

He sat at the table with his newspaper and eyeballed her. "That is _not_ how that goes."

"I know. I'm working on my stand-up."

"That's two different sayings."

She dragged a hand across her face. "I live on bad jokes, Charlie."

"Sometimes I really think about what I could've done to avoid smacking your head on that cabinet that one time when you were a baby."

"Hey!"

He shook his head and sipped his juice as he looked at the newspaper.

Bella huffed and fiddled with her book. "This is due tomorrow and I have no idea what to do about it."

"Should've thought about your tests before you took up table-jumping and landed on an unsuspecting girl with your fist."

"That's a great way to put it, actually. But no, I mean to the library."

"I'm sure Esme will let you do it."

"Uh, I'm not allowed on the premises."

He looked over the paper at her. "You're banned from the library? Who did you assault there?"

"What? No, the school library."

"Oh."

"Why was this so hard? Wait, Forks has a library?"

"This isn't a ghost town, you know. Just give it to Alice, I'm sure she'd drop it in the slot for you."

"I hadn't thought about that." Mostly because of the fact only Edward went to school, but could she maybe get it to him? Was being eaten worth returning a library book?

Charlie snorted.

"Whatever."

He shook his empty cup at her as she stood to refill her own. "So, windows."

"More windows than house, yeah."

"Mm. So, did you finish before or after Alice got home?"

She slowly set down their cups at the table again. "Before."

He nodded. "Was just wondering if she got to admire your handiwork."

"They're windows." Bella stared at him curiously and considered running away before the conversation got wherever it was going.

"You do anything else?"

"I was reorganizing the bookshelves when the other kids got home."

"That's nice. Did Alice help?"

Bella groaned.

"What? I'm just making conversation."

"This is the most you've ever talked to me, second to when you tell me about your day with Billy and mention Jake every ten seconds."

He put down the paper. "It wasn't every ten seconds."

"Could've been. And just, she's my best friend."

"They say to marry your best friend."

Bella got up. "I think I'm going to sleep."

"It's not even seven."

"Well I think I'm having another nightmare."

Charlie grunted. "Suit yourself. But no window-sneaking."

Bella sighed and considered throwing herself down the stairs, but then she wouldn't die and living would be more effort than it already was. Counterproductive. She stifled a yawn as she opened her door and rubbed her eyes, kicking it shut. When she opened her eyes, she discovered Alice sitting on her bed.

"Pretty sure this counts as window-sneaking, but I thought you might want me to take that." Alice pointed.

Bella looked and pulled her book from under her arm. "Oh, yeah. Thanks. Uh, how much of that did you hear or see?"

Alice laughed a little as Bella kicked off her shoes and sat next to her. "You really should marry your best friend, it's what I did. I mean, it helps that we're mates, but still."

"But you're my best friend and you didn't marry _me_."

"Uhm, the rule is for your first best friend, and so that is why I am currently married to Jasper instead of you."

Bella stared at her.

Realization made Alice's eyebrows go up. "Drat. I'm your first best friend."

"Honestly, I'm heartbroken."

"But you shouldn't be because it's for your first, eligible best friend!"

"Jasper's the next one, given some time, so, hmm." Bella pretended to think, tapping a finger to her chin.

Alice squinted. "You're being difficult on purpose."

"Jake?"

Alice's lip curled. "Gross, no. You can't marry something that will result in you smelling like wet dog."

"I think you're twisting the saying. True love doesn't care about dog-smell. But tell me, what other arbitrary rules are there?"

"I have to approve of them. They…" Alice looked around the room and noticed Rosalie's shirt again. "They have to be stunning and intelligent and, uhm, let's say 'cunning.' And care about you and fluent in sarcasm and willing to die for you and, uhm, stubborn." She almost added "blonde" but that would've been too obvious.

"So, you, if you count fluent sarcasm and dying for me as a side dish and add 'ray of sunshine' in there."

Alice slapped her arm. "You can be smooth sometimes. You should do that around your crush, who I was describing, instead of mentioning _vomit baking in the sun_."

Bella sputtered, face turning red. Then she whisper-screamed, "I do not have a crush!"

"You're right. You skipped that part and dove headfirst into the 'eternal love' pool." She choked on a laugh at the open horror on Bella's face, "I said cunning, but we both know I meant _bitch_."

The sound of footsteps at the bottom of the stairs stirred Bella and she stood suddenly. She thrust her book into Alice's arms and pointed at the window, still unable to say anything.

Alice pouted, but she acquiesced.

A few minutes later, after calming herself a little, Bella pulled out her earbuds so she could get some music going and stop the silence from beating in her ears.

She really needed to kill whatever it was she felt for Rosalie Hale. It was already wildly out of control if Alice was commenting on it.

* * *

By the time Thursday came, a rhythm had established itself. So, when Jasper didn't poke his head into the kitchen before she finished eating to ask if he should set up the board, Bella frowned. Steadfast, however, was Esme's refusal to let her wash any dishes.

She entered the living room with the aim of going to look for Jasper, but did a double-take toward the couches when Rosalie closed her book.

"Would you happen to be accepting of the idea of being kidnapped by myself instead of the usual suspects today?"

Bella eyed her casual outfit of jeans and a t-shirt. "I didn't know one could be formal about kidnapping, but sure."

"Excellent." The vampire picked up her keys from beside her leg and rose.

"Was I allowed to say 'no?'"

Rosalie opened the door for her, revealing the truck waiting outside. "Well, it is a kidnapping, isn't it?"

"You got me there."

Once they started driving, Rosalie broke the silence. "Besides, would you have refused?"

"I could've."

"If I threw down my book, grabbed my keys and left the door open, you would've come after me. If I hissed at you for coming, you would've just, I don't know, said something to get under my skin. Maybe gotten your human stains on something I care about."

Bella laughed. "That's true." After a moment, she added, "I might try hissing back at some point."

Rosalie snorted. "Why is it true, though?"

The smile on Bella's face dimmed, much to the vampire's internal dismay. "It just is."

"I would do the same for you."

"I don't think 'the same' is breaking my window with a rock."

Rosalie rolled her eyes at a stoplight. "To be fair, that was before we qualified as friends."

"Ah, yes. The mysterious friendship of Rosalie Hale, where you can't tell if she was more or less bitchy before."

She chuckled lightly, resting her elbow on the door as she drove. "Now that you mention it, I almost think I'm bitchier now."

"I think you are, actually." Bella studied her. "It's just that it's friendly bitchy instead of _I hope you drown in a bathtub_ type of bitchy."

She glanced at Bella. "It was not that kind of bitchy."

"It totally was!"

"It was more of a hope for you to slip on ice and hit your head so hard you fell into a coma."

Bella looked over, offended and ready to squawk, but she saw the small smirk on Rosalie's face. "Whatever, Hale."

"Whatever, Swan."

"So what's the actual last name I should be using in our lifelong feud?"

As much as she wanted to comment on the "lifelong feud" part, she decided not to. "What do you mean?"

"Well I know everyone's name being Cullen is for the charade. You're all adopted," Bella stopped to snort, "and you and Jasper are twins, supposedly. So I was wondering what name I should really be shaking my fist at."

Rosalie hummed. "I wouldn't let Carlisle take my name from me too. So, we went with convenience and Jasper uses my name."

"It suits you."

"It should." Rosalie shifted lanes. "It's mine."

"That logic doesn't fly. Look me in the eyes and say Isabella Marie Swan fits me."

"It doesn't. Thinking of changing your name?"

"Yeah, maybe Chuck or Alex."

Rosalie rolled her eyes. "I thought you might've asked where we're going before you asked something like that."

"Meh," Bella said with a shrug. "Can I ask something without you spitting fire from your eyes?"

"Unfortunately, I'm incapable of spitting fire from my eyes, so it seems you can ask whatever you like."

"What level of friendship do we have to obtain for me to unlock the hard questions like, 'What do you mean? What did Carlisle take from you?' Because I'm not _that_ rude, but I also don't want you to think I'm stupid or don't care about these things."

Rosalie didn't go when the light turned green. "You don't have to worry about that. I know that you're just respecting me, which I appreciate." She saw the girl nod in her peripherals. "Speaking of, I wanted to thank you for not minding when I request space."

"No problem. Hissing at the sight of me doesn't worry me anymore. If you ignore me, then I know there's a problem."

"When'd you become certain of that?"

"Last night when I couldn't sleep."

She glanced over, eyebrow raised. "So you just went back and forth with me…?"

"Not sure you wanted to talk to me anymore, yeah. Sure, I know you and I both find it fun, but you have to get bored of me soon. I mean—what the hell is this place?"

They'd turned onto an old, ill-kept road leading to seemingly nowhere thanks to the trees on either side and the curve in the distance. However, Rosalie couldn't bother to acknowledge the question about it. "I can't get bored of you."

Looking back, Bella noticed the road looked the exact same both ways and missed the vampire's tone. "You totally can. You've either done or seen just about anything I possibly could, probably a few times. I'm not going to introduce anything new or fun or interesting into your life. Plus, humans are disgusting. Now really, you're not making a sacrifice of me out here, are you? There won't be a bunch of people in robes or a long dinner table?"

Rosalie kept driving, a slight frown on her brow. Conveying the depth of her friendship without nearly pronouncing being in love with Bella was apparently a thin line for her. Additionally, she—if she was being strictly logical about the situation—felt more than Bella did, much to her chagrin. So, she said simply, "No, no sacrifice today."

"It should be on Friday the 13th if you are going to do it at some point."

"Those aren't that frequent," Rosalie said absently.

"I have faith in your patience."

A couple minutes later, they took another curve on the old road. Bella's brow furrowed at the sight of a large, obviously abandoned building.

"Is that…someone's old mansion?"

It was. Of ornate, stained glass and beautiful old stone with small spires at the end of the east and west wings, it had no place in or near Forks. Time had beaten down its regality, but it held on like a drowning man. "The records say a doctor had it built and furnished, but never moved in. When contacted about it, there were no replies and so the assumption became that he died unexpectedly or simply vanished."

"Was he a vampire?"

"I never considered that, actually. He could've been and gotten bored of it, thus leaving it looking untouched. But he must've been bored of his life if he did." Rosalie shrugged and parked a ways away from the front. Gold eyes traced over the building she already knew every inch of, from the worn railing at the steps—the third one once creaked but now had a hole in it—to the far-right window on the third floor of the west wing with graffiti.

Bella unbuckled her seatbelt, but didn't move otherwise. "No sacrifice, right?"

"Right."

She nodded a little, proceeding to study the building.

Rosalie swallowed unnecessarily. She could feel the cynical curve coming to her lips. Without a word, she got out the truck and approached, hearing Bella follow. She only stopped once she reached the pseudo-courtyard, its stones overridden by weeds and grass. She crouched down, picking up some decently sized rocks as Bella came up beside her.

"So, uh, what are we doing, Aristotle?"

"I considered it a bit of a disappointment that Alice didn't take you to throw rocks at cars on Monday, so I thought I could see how bad your aim is myself." She straightened, depositing a handful of rocks into the girl's hand and ignoring the confused expression she was receiving. "I'll also have you know I can be an excellent kidnapper and do not need to acquire a day job."

After quirking an eyebrow, Bella nodded slowly. "Your mom is scary."

"She is," she replied as she started walking toward the west wing.

Naturally, Bella followed. "Wait, you think it's disappointing we didn't go commit a crime?"

"Rather boring, yes."

Bella scoffed, muttering something about not having bail money. "How do you know about this place, anyway?"

Rosalie hummed. They came to a stop below the graffitied window.

"'Troy was here!' Fuck off, Troy."

"I bet you can't hit the 'O' in his name."

Bella hefted a rock and looked up at the window. She shrugged. Stepping back a little, she did her best to ignore watchful eyes and her reddening face. She let it fly. As it hit just above the window, she cursed.

"You're misjudging distance."

"I'm fucking nervous," she said under her breath, picking her next rock.

Rosalie fixed her gaze on the graffiti. "I found this place while I was running one night. Ever since, I would come here sometimes to think of home."

Bella made a noise between a wheeze and a cough, stumbling over nothing in the middle of her throw.

Gold eyes tracked the rock as it bounced off the wall and fell into the grass.

Bella whirled around. "This place reminds you of _home_ and you brought me here to _vandalize_ it? Are you crazy?" By the time she finished, her voice had hit a few high pitches.

She could feel her lips twitch into a cynical smile. "Vampires are frozen, unable to change, to age. Time passes by, relentless and unforgiving in its change. Standing in its current and refusing to move is asking to die endlessly." Taking an unnecessarily long breath, Rosalie glanced at brown eyes before gesturing toward the building. "This place is a sick metaphor for my life."

"Rosalie—"

She shook her head a little. "I don't want it to be anymore. My world was so much different than yours and I thought it was perfect. But it's like this house, an attempt at perfection and beauty in a place it didn't belong. Stubborn pretense."

Bella accepted the large rock Rosalie offered and searched her eyes. "Are you sure?"

Rosalie stared at the mansion, eventually nodding as she looked back at Bella. "This isn't Rochester. This isn't 1933. I'm not the same person I was then." She exhaled, her voice too soft for human ears to hear, "I'm not a victim."

Bella pivoted and stepped into her throw, launching the rock so hard that her elbow popped. It crashed through the 'O' and took a chunk of the vandal's name with it. She heard the vampire whistle and looked back.

"That went to the other side of the room. I didn't even think you could hit it."

"Thanks,' Bella said, moving her arm. "I love backhanded compliments."

"That's pretty thick glass, you know."

Bella blinked up at the window. "Huh. Forgot about that." She jumped at the feel of cold fingers on her arm. She watched Rosalie gently poke and squeeze her, especially near the elbow. "Uhm, it's called an 'arm.'"

Gold eyes rolled. "If this is part of the stand-up Alice said you were working on, you need to get a day job." Bella snorted and she released her. "You hardly strained your lower bicep. You can stop shaking your arm about."

Bella huffed. "Whatever. The rest of the throwing is yours to do, since you obviously need to try catching up to my amazing shot."

A blonde eyebrow rose. "I'm sorry, are you challenging me?"

"Maybe. Whatcha gonna do about it, Hale?"

"Hmm." She turned her hand over, dropping her rocks. "I'm going to choose not to embarrass you. Today, at least." Rosalie started walking toward the front door.

"Scared, Hale?"

"In your dreams," she said, accenting her point with a casual hair flip over her shoulder.

She began to tell herself Bella's increased heartrate was due to…something, but she halted that thought. Rosalie Hale condemned stupidity. The young woman jogging after her affected her, and she enjoyed it. So, instead, she decided to take pride in the reaction, which was infinitely more satisfying than explaining it away.

"So is vandalism how one joins the Cullen cool kids club? Because my father is the police chief, you know."

Rosalie snorted, pointing at the hole in the third step to be sure Bella could avoid it. "No, I chose this particular case of vandalism to serve as a landmark in our relationship, holding true to the theme of rocks."

"Does this mean I'm cool by Rosalie Hale standards? Whoa," she stopped, looking at the knocker in the shape of a screaming gargoyle head on the large, dark door.

"You want it?"

"What?"

Rosalie gestured. "I could tear it off for you."

Brown eyes looked the blonde up and down in a heartbeat. "Nah."

She crossed her arms. "Do you not think I can do it? I _am_ a vampire, if you recall."

"No, yeah, I know." Bella rubbed the back of her neck. "I'd wanna hang it on my door or wall and I have no way of explaining that to Charlie."

Rosalie clicked her tongue, opening the door. "I could hold onto it for you until that isn't a problem, if you like."

"A memento for the first misadventure of, hm. My name sounds gross next to yours."

"'The misadventures of Rose and Bella' doesn't sound _that_ bad."

"But it does sound bad, you agree," Bella said as she looked around the grand, sweeping staircase that went all the way to the third floor. "Hey, Hale?"

Rosalie hummed, turning to her even though she was busy taking in all the covered furniture and the sheer size of the building, her gaze lingering on the large chandelier.

"Imma need you to stop calling this place a house. As a poor person, it hurts my soul and my wallet. This is clearly a mansion."

Gold eyes rolled as she made for the stairs. "You might've been poor, but you're not now." She missed the way Bella looked at her as she ascended the steps.

"Uh, so, are we really just here to vandalize?"

"Do you think I'm a liar?"

"No, it's just that you're so proper and, well, perfect."

"Mm, I am perfect, this much is true."

Bella rolled her eyes so hard she stumbled over a step.

"I heard that."

"Fuck off."

"Wow, I shall return home in tears from that comeback."

Bella smiled at Rosalie's back.

"Was I mistaken?"

"About what? God, so many stairs."

"Are you too good for vandalism?"

Bella laughed. "I don't think I qualify as 'good' on really any basis."

"Well, you're good at being funny. You have that going for you. Sometimes."

"Now _that_ is funny."

Rosalie spun around once she reached the top of the stairs, waiting for Bella to catch up. "Tell me a joke."

"Eh?"

"Let's see your stand-up. Come on."

"I'm not actually doing stand-up."

"I know that, but Alice doesn't. She's excited. However, no excuses."

Bella blinked at her and caught sight of the chandelier as she shook her head. "That thing is huge."

"It is." Rosalie joined her at the railing, tilting her head. "I would wager it would be rather satisfying to watch it fall."

"Fuck yeah! But how?"

They stared at it for a minute.

"I could probably throw something to break its support." Rosalie watched her companion nod before continuing. "Like your body."

"Or, or, or. Here's an idea. You just, like, throw yourself at it sideways, screaming, and I laugh forever. Probably until I die."

"No, no, that won't do." She stepped away from the rail. "Let's see what we can find."

Bella stuck her hands in her pockets and followed after the vampire as she wandered down the hall.

"Are you going to tell me that joke?"

"You're serious?"

Rosalie paused in a doorway to make eye contact. "I am eternally serious."

Bella snorted. "Okay, uh, hmm. Fair warning, I love anti-jokes."

The blonde didn't really offer a response as she navigated the room with an easy familiarity and Bella took to exploring it. However, poking at an old lamp and being far too close to the dust cloud it created led her to have a sneezing fit. Bella held her chest, gasping when it finally passed, and she coughed, rubbing her eyes.

"I almost thought your heart was going to seize up."

Not having fully recovered, Bella tried to scoff, but it twisted into another cough. She abandoned the room, unsurprised when Rosalie drifted after her. "I'm fine, thanks for asking," Bella said as she entered another room.

"My pleasure."

Bella scowled, giving one of the lamps in the room a dirty look.

Rosalie pulled a cover off of a couch while Bella uncovered a mirror that was her height with gold trim. A few feet over, she exposed a long desk. Atop it sat a matching mirror. Though it was significantly smaller, it was still about half the size of Bella's torso and a few inches thick.

"Hey, I got an—" She raised a hand and made a face when she saw Rosalie.

"Hmm?" The vampire blinked and opened her hand, effectively dropping the couch from where she'd lifted one side of it a couple feet off the ground.

"Were you seriously considering pitching that?"

"We went over this not five minutes ago. But to directly answer your question, originally, yes. However, I decided I didn't like the outcomes I envisioned." She dusted off her hands, coming over.

Bella shook her head. "Uh, anyway, I was thinking I could throw the small mirror and my back at the same time and if that failed, you could throw the big one and gloat."

Gold eyes darted between the two objects. "This was a bad idea. I doubt you'll manage it without hurting yourself. That is, if you _can_ do it."

"This ain't a misadventure for nothing, Aristotle."

Rosalie looked down at Bella, a question in her eyes, but Bella beat her to speaking.

"Are you having fun?"

She thought about it, even though she didn't have to. "Yes, actually. I'm thinking about taking up vandalism as a hobby."

"Have you not done it before?"

The memory of tearing down a few doors and throwing a man out of a window came to mind. She lifted the small mirror, tucking it under her arm. "Not particularly."

Bella crossed her arms. "So you don't take people on other 'cases' like this to deepen the bonds of friendship?"

"No, I mostly hiss and bite."

Bella didn't laugh. "So why bring me?"

A pause. "I think the better question is why I wouldn't bring you."

She stood there for a couple heartbeats after Rosalie left the room. "Hey," she called, "Did you know some crocodiles can grow 17-20 feet?"

"Not really," Rosalie said as Bella joined her, head tilted back a little to study the chandelier's support and chain. "I never paid them much attention."

Bella shrugged, hands in pockets. "Well that's fine—"

"I think this is heavier than you think it is."

"—Because they usually only grow four."

A flicker of confusion crossed her face, a quick drawing of eyebrows and pursed lips. Then, slowly, Rosalie rested the mirror on the railing and closed her eyes. She pinched the bridge of her nose, taking a deep breath.

Bella grinned.

Almost imperceptible for human eyes, Rosalie's shoulders shook and she finally looked at Bella, a half-smile on her face. "I think I hate you now."

"That's how I know it's a good joke. It'll be a great joke if you genuinely laugh."

"I feel as though I've been taken for a ride. If you weren't human, I probably would've hit you with this." She wiggled the mirror for emphasis, still shaking her head. "You should tell that one to Esme. She loves jokes, especially bad ones."

"Will do. Now, gimme." Bella took the mirror, ignoring Rosalie's reluctance to let it go. "Ugh. A little heavier than I'd ever care for in my life."

"You don't have to do it, you know. In fact, you probably shouldn't."

"What, and ruin our bonding experience? Whew. Nah." She hefted it in her hands.

"I don't think you understand the magnitude of trouble I'll be in if I'm the one to break the human."

"Ah, just remind me to get health insurance soon." Bella braced the mirror on the rail, alternating in wiping her hands on her jeans.

"I don't know why you're nervous."

"Uh, probably because you could do this perfectly, like you do everything, Miss Perfect."

Rosalie was about to counter that, but then Bella took a few steps back and rolled her shoulders, so she just moved a little farther and leaned against the rail, watching. Only a quickening heartbeat filled the silence in the mansion. The human whispered that she was fucking insane. Then, she spun twice, flinging the mirror like someone rejected from competing with shot puts with a small grunt-scream of effort. Gold eyes tracked it, and widened when it crashed just above the chain. The mirror bounced off part of the rail near the second floor, breaking it before finally hitting the ground facedown and shattering.

Bella huffed and puffed against the rail, not looking at the blonde. "I was aiming for the chain, whew, but hey. Dying. At least I broke a, ugh, a mirror and a window today."

Rosalie looked at her. "Frankly, I'm surprised you hi—"

The ceiling above the chandelier groaned. A stressed scream of metal preluded the chain tearing away its support.

They leaned over the rail, watching it go.

The impact of the crash echoed in the whole mansion, shaking the floor beneath their feet as it shattered like millions of diamonds exploding downstairs and flying around.

Before the dust settled, Bella popped off the ground, yelling, "Fucking sick!"

Rosalie regarded her as she fist-pumped the air. The broad grin she received made her smile. She held up her hand and Bella high-fived her so hard it _had_ to hurt. "I admit, I'm impressed. Mind you, that's hard to do. You are officially 'cool' by Rosalie Hale standards."

"Those are the best standards. I'm so fucking stoked. What now?"

Something inside of her twisted at the open joy and excitement Bella displayed. She liked it, a lot actually. "I think we should call it a day."

"Oh. Yeah, okay."

"Because I'm guessing you've expended all the energy you would dedicate to today and desire a snack."

Surprise made Bella's jaw work without producing sound. "Uh, that's super sweet of you, but I don't wanna make you sit through another human meal. And I definitely don't want you to pay for it."

"Actually, I've come to somewhat enjoy comparing you to the cute, little creatures I stalk and snap the necks of."

"Hey, I don't eat like an animal!"

Gold eyes rolled. She pushed herself off the railing to leave. "Somehow, I'm not surprised that's the only problem you had with what I said."

Bella swallowed, thinking about something Alice said. Her heart kicked up, but she committed, trying not to stutter and hoped her blush could pass for still being from exertion. "I'm surprised you admitted that you think I'm cute."

Rosalie Hale froze mid-step, hand still on the rail. Instinctually, her tongue had tried to cut, and so she nearly uttered, "A misstep in words, I assure you." If she had a living heart, it would be pounding. But she was a vampire. A vampire whose mated bond with a human only deepened each day. And now they'd officially reached a distinctive point neither of them could ignore or go back from. However, she didn't know how to steer without either gunning it into the fast lane or possibly shoving it into some horrible, awkward territory they would try to ignore anyway. Rosalie Hale's words always cut the sharpest, but they had no real experience here.

A thundering heart waited atop the stairs for her response and the longer the silence went on, the more that would have to be said.

So, Rosalie settled for what she knew and continued down the stairs. Whether she didn't look back to spare Bella anxiety or to make things easier for herself, she wasn't sure, but the words fell from her lips with a small smile. "I'm nothing if not sincere."

* * *

It did not remotely surprise her that, somehow, everyone was missing from the Cullen household when they arrived. Rosalie scowled to herself as Bella stuck her head in the kitchen. They'd enjoyed a comfortable, if slightly awkward silence the whole ride back, and after everything, she definitely wanted to spend some time reflecting. But apparently, that was too much to hope for.

She was debating whose name to curse—Esme or Alice—for her current situation when Bella wandered back into the living room. Uncertain brown eyes studied the annoyance on her face.

"I take the emptiness as a cue to get out of everyone's hair, but, uh—"

"I'll take you home," she cut off, tone flat. When Bella led the way without a word, Rosalie pinched the bridge of her nose. _You make this hard._ Bella's words echoed in her mind and, without her consent, a low growl of frustration rumbled in her chest.

The human's heart sped up and her gait froze for a moment before she completed her step. She stood there, foot turned to the side as if she considered turning around.

 _Good job, Rosalie, make her afraid of you. Perfect._

"I didn't know the crocodile joke upset you that much."

Amber eyes burned into the back of Bella's head as she ran a finger over her keys, puzzled.

Bella started moving again. "You're making me reconsider the vampire ones."

Realization eased into her as she released a breath she didn't know she was holding. Her tight grip on her keyring stopped threatening to bend the metal and she openly stared.

Bella swung open the door, holding it and turning to Rosalie with a small, expectant smile.

As if she didn't stand alone in a house with a vampire who just growled for no apparent reason.

Again, the fact they were mates blared in her mind like neon lights calling a weary traveler to a motel. Rosalie's brow furrowed slightly. She took a step toward Bella. As she approached, the girl's smile faded, an almost regretful look creeping into her eyes. The vampire paused, just within arm's reach.

Brown eyes settled on a couch off behind Rosalie. "Since you can't spit fire from your eyes, can I ask you something? A vampire question."

She waited, amber eyes focused on Bella.

Absently, Bella's hand twisted the doorknob. "I've been wondering about something Alice said." A slow, nearly defeated breath left her. "I know having a singer is a vampire thing, but is having a mate one or was Alice just showing the depth of her love for Jasper?"

Unnecessary air had frozen in her at the word "mate," but she knew Bella didn't see it since she wouldn't look at her. Quick eyes took in the distant look, the thoughtful crease in her brow, the way the corner of her mouth pulled up in a false smile. The ever-turning doorknob. Finally, Rosalie's lips moved, but she wasn't certain the girl could hear her. "It is indeed a vampire thing."

"Is it what I think it is?"

"What do you think it is?"

A casual half-shrug. "You genuinely love someone. Just them."

"It's that and more."

At last, Bella glanced at her, but it was just that. A glance. "How so?"

"You're hopelessly, inexplicably drawn to them the moment you meet, whether you like it or not," she said, a cynical smile on her lips that Bella didn't see. "They've affected you until you die, even if you never see them again. It's more intoxicating and more damning than any drug you can possibly imagine. You see, breathe, and feel them even if no one's around because you can never feel alone again. Inevitably, you're drawn to each other as if gravity won't allow otherwise, and the bond deepens. They inhale, you exhale. Metaphorically speaking, your hearts beat as one. You don't know anything before them because it doesn't matter, because you realize you never felt truly alive then." Her gaze drifted. _Did I really never feel alive before?_

Bella's twisting of the doorknob slowed to a stop. "Is it ever one-sided?"

Rosalie shook her head even though Bella still hadn't looked away from the couch.

Not looking up, not saying anything, Bella walked away.

For a few heartbeats, Rosalie watched, and she nearly wished she had the abilities of Edward or Jasper. But then she was moving, unlocking the truck for Bella to climb into.

She welcomed the silence as she drove, feeling more in disarray than before the question was asked. Only once did she steal a glance at her quiet passenger whose gaze seemed absent. If Rosalie was a different person, she would've asked what went through Bella's mind. But where Alice made Bella smile or chuckle or even laugh, Rosalie elicited eye rolls and scowls and curses. At the thought, something that had recently grown familiar pricked at her chest. She shoved it down.

As she made the turn onto the street of the Swan home, she saw movement in her peripherals.

"You can throw me out the truck if you want, but…"

The subdued demeanor rolling off the girl made her want to find and drag Alice to them, even as Bella apparently struggled with whatever she wanted to say. In the same heartbeat, she cursed Alice's name, cursed her own name for being such a _coward_.

Bella took in a large breath, still not looking at much of anything. "Is Emmett your mate?"

"No."

Silence sat between them even after Rosalie pulled into her driveway.

Just as Rosalie had mentally run through all the things she could say, including a bad joke, Bella's hand went to open the door.

"Thanks, Rosalie. We didn't throw rocks at cars, but I still enjoyed today."

"Perhaps next time." The words tasted like wet sand seeping out of her mouth.

Bella looked back over her shoulder with a small smile as she went to her front door.

After watching her make it into the house, Rosalie drove slowly on a long detour to the Cullen house. She tried not to think about anything.

The door swung open even as Rosalie's fingers twisted the doorknob. Still too lost in her mind to simply let go, she stepped forward with it. She blinked, mildly irritated to see Alice beaming up at her with Esme hovering just behind, a soft smile and hopeful eyes decorating her face.

Alice's smile faded at the blonde's scowl and she visibly deflated, some sadness even entering her eyes and coloring her tone. "She didn't ask if you found your mate."

The quiet statement spelled it out for Rosalie. What nearly happened, what could have been. Her grip tightened, crushing the doorknob as an almost pained growl tore out of her throat and her eyes burned.

Alice stepped forward, hugging her.

She refused Esme's soft gaze.


	14. Darkening Skies

**A/N:** So this chapter is both Esme meddling and a large setup for some seriously _fun_ things in the next few chapters. (It's _happening,_ guys!) And I wildly diverged from canon, like I hadn't already. My hand slipped and I accidentally booted Jake to the side and that bitch just elbowed her way into getting a bromance with Bella. Remember that, no love triangles, I promise. Also, I've been thinking, and there will only really be like two or three cliffhangers in this whole story. I try to be kind. Oh! And I want to point out I don't _really_ hate any of the characters except Lauren. They're flawed.

Anyway, without further ado, here you are, an earlier update courtesy of YurTeddyBear's sadness seeping through my screen.

* * *

Bella shifted in her sleep at the sound of her window opening, though she quickly settled, shoving her face deeper into her pillow.

Gentle knuckles rapped against her skull three times.

She made an indistinct noise.

The knuckles returned three more times.

"Alice," Bella mumbled, turning her face into the pillow, "Please just let me die here." She yawned into the pillow and started to stretch, but then she froze. "Alice doesn't knock like that."

The vampire smiled to herself, a warm feeling in her chest. The two really were best friends.

"And Alice already would've been way too loud for the time. Rosalie would've been rude…" Bella trailed off, obviously thinking. She shifted a little, face still obscured by the pillow. Then came her muffled disbelief, "Mrs. Cullen?"

She clapped a little, as if Bella had won a game, and finally drew her sleepy gaze. "I was hoping you'd use my name, but I'm willing to overlook that."

Brown eyes blinked at the warm smile offered to her before drifting to her open window. Her brow furrowed.

Esme straightened, glancing back at the window and clasping her hands in front of her. "Doors are for chumps, yes?"

"Mrs. Cullen, did you just decide that we're best friends?"

Her smile shifted into the territory of a smirk as she tried to seem innocent. "Oh, is that what I did? I just didn't want to be a chump."

Bella sat up and rubbed her eyes with a laugh. As she got up and headed for the bathroom, she looked at Esme. She laughed again.

"This is going well," Esme said to herself, just as her phone chirped. She knew who it was before looking at it. She'd said not to drag Bella to the Cullen home until after ten and here it was, nine am sharp.

 _Did you just beat me to stealing Bella?_

She shot off a response to Alice's text. She was, after all, rather busy today. Golden eyes caught sight of Rosalie's ruined blouse _still_ on Bella's dresser and her smirk widened even as she clicked her tongue. Busy today indeed. She wouldn't have to be if her two favorite grumpy stumps knew how to have a conversation. Of course, she knew they weren't ready for a relationship with each other, but at least they could stop acting like startled deer in regards to each other. They didn't know how to do it and they were making progress, yes, but they'd hardly started to genuinely spend time together and Esme had given them almost two months. They just needed a little push.

As a mother, she absolutely qualified as someone to give pushes in the right direction.

Also, she was bored, and meddling was fun.

Bella reentered the room, looking only slightly more awake.

"Ready, dear?" Esme rattled off as she moved to the dresser. "Since it's the last day of your suspension, I thought you could help me go grocery shopping and just generally spend time together, perhaps."

"Uh," brown eyes dragged up from Rosalie's shirt draped over the vampire's arm. "Okay."

Esme tilted her a head a little before looking down and resting a hand on the blouse. "Oh! I thought I would throw this out for you." She smiled, watching Bella glance at Alice's jacket, still on the dresser. The girl wasn't stupid. In fact, Esme was counting on her to pick up on the fact she was up to something.

"Uhm, could you not? I know it sounds weird, but I'm kind of keeping it hostage until I get my shirt back from Hale."

"Oh, dear, you know she'd only toss this out. A string comes loose and she considers it trash."

A knuckle rubbed across her chin. Brown eyes jumped from the torn shirt to the wide smile.

"If you'd simply prefer to keep it," Esme started, beginning to set it back down.

"Is it really that bad?" Bella blurted.

Esme paused, blinking at her. The outburst kept her from responding immediately. However, when Bella started to rub sweaty hands on her jeans and refused eye contact, a small smile came to her face. "I'm a mother, dear. It's my job to see these things."

Bella covered her face, sighing into her hands, and sat heavily on the bed.

Perhaps she'd put the girl on the spot just a little too harshly. She hadn't intended on discussing this so soon.

"Has she said anything?" Bella mumbled into her hands, almost as if she didn't want to ask the question. She hadn't even used Rosalie's name.

"What do you think?"

"That I want to _die_. I'm trying to get over this. I just want to be her friend. I really do."

Esme reached out, giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze. "Bella, dear, you _are_ her friend. She wouldn't be within a thousand feet of you if you weren't, trust me."

"Until she stops having the decency to ignore this." She gestured at herself quickly before covering her face again. She rested her elbows on her thighs and made a frustrated noise into her hands.

Esme nearly commented on the irony of the fact that the whole reason she was here right now was because Rosalie _didn't_ comment on it.

"Has she?"

She sat on the bed next to Bella. "Dear, she isn't oblivious. And we can all hear your heart, you know," she reminded gently.

Bella groaned, finally sitting up. She looked at Esme, and the vampire noticed the circles under her eyes seemed darker. "Every time I feel like I can shove it down and just be a normal friend, she does or says something. And I just feel like I'm projecting my gay onto her. Like, being nice does not equal anything, and I know that. You know?"

Esme sighed, looking away to hide the roll of her eyes. Rosalie Hale was a lot of things, but she wasn't exactly a nice person. Honestly, Rosalie was practically screaming that she loved Bella any time they interacted, but Bella hadn't been around her long enough to know that.

"I'm scared she'll get sick of waiting for me to get over this and then we won't be able to be friends. That spells a lot of awkwardness considering I don't think Alice is letting me go anywhere soon."

Gold eyes stared at Alice's jacket, Rosalie's blouse, and the rock sitting next to them.

"Mrs. Cullen?"

She hummed.

"You're not, like, upset that I, uh," Bella swallowed and a crease formed between her eyebrows, as if going over what she planned to say with disbelief. "You're not upset I have, uh— _fucking Christ—_ romantic feelings for your daughter?"

"Still avoiding her name, I see." She turned to Bella. Alarm started to settle into the human, who scooted away a little, at the sight of the gleam entering her golden eyes. "I'm thrilled."

"Wh-What? You what?"

"What are your intentions with my daughter?"

"I—Wh—She—Your—" Bella sputtered until she coughed. She gaped at the vampire. "My _what_?"

"What are your intentions with my daughter?" She repeated with a serious face.

Bella stared, her heart speaking for her.

"Well?"

Her jaw worked. She made an unintelligible noise before managing a word. "Nothing. Friendship."

Esme's eyebrows rose.

"Look, Mrs. Cullen, this is just a mistake the chemicals in my dumb brain made. She's a vampire and I'm a human. She was with _Emmett_. Even then, she's perfect and I'm…me."

Golden eyes softened, but Bella didn't notice as she stared at her knees.

"I don't even know why she looks at me at all, even as a friend. She looks like she escaped a runway half the time and I sometimes trip on small rocks."

Esme's gaze again drifted to her daughters' clothes. "I know no one's asked yet because they don't want to think about it, but, well—"

"You're a mom, so you can ask the ugly questions," Bella concluded absently.

She studied the subdued human beside her. "Have you thought about where you want to go from here?"

Bella didn't even look up. "Like college?"

"No, you expressed that you never felt as though you were going anywhere before rambunctious Alice dragged you into our lives. Or, rather, that you never cared about going anywhere."

"I still don't really care about college or anything. It's way overpriced."

"Dear, I'm asking if you thought about whether or not you want to join us."

"I'm already friends with most of your kids, kind of."

Esme stared at her.

Realization straightened her back. She looked at Esme with wide eyes. "You serious?"

"We can't keep on like this forever, you know. Rosalie 'graduates' this year and will go do what she wants for a year until Alice, Jasper, and Edward do the same. And then we move, starting new lives again."

Esme watched Bella blink at her knee, lost in thought. She hadn't intended on this conversation either, but it had to happen and maybe it would help even the playing field between her and Rosalie. The "perfect versus nothing" mentality Bella had not only wasn't healthy, but served as a wedge between them. Her eyes wandered back to the dresser. "Would that happen to be the rock you and Rose had a spat about?"

"Yeah," she answered without looking up. "She threw it through my window. It left a wicked bruise on my leg."

"Sometimes I think I have a herd of wild animals in my home instead of vampires."

"Yes."

"Well, I do suppose Emmett eats like an animal sometimes, but he isn't here right now."

Bella looked up, causing Esme to turn to her. "No, I mean that yes, I'd like to join you guys."

"Dear, this isn't a decision to make lightly."

"I don't have anything else. Just Charlie. And if Alice really means what she says, then I worry about her if I drop dead."

Esme squeezed her arm. "You have time to consider it. Would you still like to go shopping with me?"

"Is this one of those times where I don't have a choice?"

A smile came to Esme's face. "Yes, I was only trying to be polite."

"Then I guess I have only one polite kidnapper."

Esme hummed all the way to the car, giving Bella space to think. Of course, it also gave her time to figure out her next move in regards to giving the two women a push.

Rosalie had stopped actively pushing Bella away—though sometimes she instead ran away. However, Esme couldn't figure out _exactly_ what she aimed for. She hadn't precisely looked for ways for them to spend time together, but she also took Bella to commit a crime at a place she'd held onto as tightly as her past. When Rosalie realized she and Bella nearly became…something yesterday, Esme expected her to revert, throwing the two of them back half a million steps. But that never happened. She replaced the doorknob she'd ruined and seemed almost invigorated, if Esme's eyes weren't deceiving her. So why Rosalie bolted from the house at seven am and drove off, Esme still had no clue. Obviously Rosalie _wanted_ to be with her mate, but even well before that, Esme worried over Bella's humanity. Rosalie felt robbed, they all knew that. So, of course, she anticipated a vehement fight and broken furniture over Bella not becoming a vampire or being around them even in the face of accepting Bella being her mate.

But where was that?

Or was it simply a storm to come?

She sighed inwardly at the thought as she parked the car. They entered the store, still not exchanging a word. Esme pushed the cart toward the very first aisle, glancing sidelong at her other problem. Bella faithfully walked along, only trailing by a couple steps, hands in pockets and eyes on the ground. A slight furrow lingered on her brow.

A good sign, she hoped.

Depression had considerably loosened its grip on Bella since Alice started dragging her around a month ago, but it remained a terrible beast. Again, Esme wondered how much Rosalie had to do with the persistent bags under brown eyes, or, rather, how little Rosalie had to do with it.

She nearly sighed. Instead, she said, "Bella, dear, will you go grab some apples?"

A jerky nod answered her as Bella made a sharp turn, dutifully going over to fuss with a bag that refused to open—Esme ignored the fact she cursed at it. Only now did Esme lean on the cart with a long sigh, watching as brown eyes examined red apples.

Bella's self-esteem swung between horribly low and levels high enough to rival Rosalie's on her worst days. Yet another thing the two shared, Esme noted with a roll of her eyes. Even then, it proved quite the obstacle between them and Esme sincerely hoped it wouldn't take vampirism for Bella to begin considering she could _maybe_ be with Rosalie. A vampire being mated to a human was almost unheard of, even to Carlisle, and it'd taken a full hour to convince him not to bombard Bella with questions, or even a singular one. At times, she wished she'd allowed him the questions so she could know how the bond affected Bella, but they all knew she felt it, even if she didn't realize it.

"Is a little over a pound fine?" Bella called over her shoulder.

Esme hurriedly pointed. "Yes, now a pound or so of those."

Bella raised an eyebrow before grabbing another bag and migrating to the other apples Esme wanted.

She'd never forget the cracks in Rosalie's indifferent façade when Jasper confessed he'd purposely investigated Bella's emotions. When he stated that he felt the consistent pull toward Rosalie that Bella had, like an inexorable hand in his chest dragging him in her direction, Rosalie didn't move or breathe. She only nodded as Carlisle had. As if it was only interesting.

Esme would've snorted, but Bella was walking back to deposit the apples she'd gathered into the cart. They started walking again, gold eyes noticing Bella remained the same, except the furrow in her brow had vanished. As Esme turned into the next aisle, she wondered what else made Bella feel the need to beat away her feelings for Rosalie.

Depression, a horrible thing, naturally. The frustrating insistence she was essentially nothing next to Rosalie. Of course the vampire and human difference probably played a factor, but Bella didn't have many reasons to stay human. Even with her caring side out in the open, Rosalie Hale was still a bitch and could be rather…trying. However, Bella proved it didn't bother her. No small feat now, but originally quite the shock then. She stole another glance at Bella, wishing she'd been there to see Bella walk up to Rosalie a week after Edward declared they were vampires. Rosalie had been in a consistent fit then, all but hissing—well, she'd done that a few times—and spitting. Nevertheless, Bella offered her an awkward wave and a stuttered greeting. When she received a scathing glare, she'd only given a thumbs up and walked away.

If only Esme could've seen it.

"Can I grab those?"

Gold eyes darted to the fruit snacks in question and smiled widely at Bella's almost dead expression. She swiped the biggest box into the cart, holding up a finger at the incoming protest.

Esme had, however, seen the development. And she needed to see it through. She studied the girl out the corner of her eye. What piece was she missing?

"Have you had homemade French fries before?" Seeing Bella shake her head, she shooed her away. "Go grab some ketchup. Rosalie told me you have an 'ugly, unhealthy' love for them so I'll make you some."

Gold eyes were too sharp to miss the fact Bella's lips twitched, even if she didn't actually smile.

She was debating between three different curries when she recognized Bella's footsteps coming back. She'd already read the entirety of their labels five times and hadn't absorbed any of it on account of her growing frustration.

Bella's phone rang the moment it dawned on Esme.

She whipped out her own phone and barely sent a text at a human speed, glancing at a man in the aisle. Never in her life did she think she'd type those words. _What does she think is Rose's sexuality?_

 _Oh my god_

Alice's answer had been prompt, and somehow Esme wasn't surprised.

Bella, however, still stared down at her phone even after setting the ketchup in the basket. She at last sighed and swiped, keeping her phone a little ways from her ear as Esme again debated between the curries. Did Bella like spicy food? She frowned, moving to ask Rosalie since she didn't want to be rude and interrupt the call.

Even as a vampire, she was startled by the loud onslaught that burst out of the phone. She looked up, seeing that Bella didn't even attempt to say "Hello," and that it also wasn't needed. Esme's jaw tightened as she placed the caller as Bella's mother. She hoped her eyes hadn't darkened any as she blankly stared at the curries. Her phone chimed.

 _I wouldn't know, but she does just shovel things into her face like a careless bear._

The smile died on her lips as her ears picked up on what should've been a conversation instead of endless babbling.

"… _I know Charlie won't do anything but sit in that sad, empty house. We'll be home and we can fly you out and you know you always have a bed here."_

The box of curry seasoning squares dented under her fingers and she felt a rush of relief she'd already set down anything with glass.

Bella made a noise reminiscent of a groan, scuffing the floor with her shoe.

" _It'll be fun, Isabella!"_

Esme withheld a very Rosalie-esque scoff.

"The _whole_ break?" Bella finally looked up, squinting at Esme being engrossed in the label of a glass of curry.

The vampire settled on one and set it in the cart, resuming their trek through the store. She took a second to make sure Bella was following. Her internal seething doubled at the sight of slumped shoulders.

" _You almost never answer my calls and never call back. No response about the postcards. My daughter is a million miles away. I miss her."_

Venom pooled in Esme's mouth while she bit back a hiss.

"Uh, I'll talk to Charlie." As Renèe started to speak again, Bella blurted, "But I gotta go."

" _Why?"_ It almost sounded childish. _"Hey, wait."_

"Shit," Bella mumbled.

" _The clock in the kitchen is wrong. This isn't your lunch block."_

"I gotta go, Renèe."

" _Are you with a boy?"_

"I'm hanging up."

" _I'm guessing you haven't found a boyfriend yet?"_

The metal of the cart gave a faint squeak under Esme's fingers as she turned into another aisle. If she turned around, she might snatch Bella's phone and hang up herself.

"Yeah, I met a guy and now I'm pregnant. Thanks."

Esme heard Bella's thumb slam hard onto the screen a few times to end the call. She opened the box of fruit snacks and retrieved a pack. The annoyance rolled off the girl in waves, but she didn't expect to see her slightly shaking as she walked. Esme shook the pack to gain her attention, not really looking back.

The sound of it tearing open was almost immediate. "Thank you."

"Alice will be devastated when she finds out she can't drag you everywhere in the world during Thanksgiving break."

"I'm sure she's already calling Charlie."

Esme wanted to reach out to her, but she didn't want to reveal the darkened gold of her eyes. Even then, she had the feeling Bella desperately wanted to be alone.

She settled for handing back another pack of fruit snacks.

* * *

Bella contemplated the last few bites of pie sitting in front of her. Maybe she'd give it a minute. She hopped off the bed and grabbed Alice's jacket, tossing it over her shoulder. Maybe spite would make Rosalie appear from wherever she'd been the past two days. Tossing it over her shoulder, she shook her head and grabbed the plate, exiting the room. _I'm just returning my friend's jacket, that's all._

 _Yeah,_ said a voice in her head, _A million years later._

Bella huffed, daring to shovel the last bits of the delicious dessert into her mouth as she descended the stairs. She just kept forgetting about it, and Alice never mentioned it. Or maybe Alice was always too excited about something to remember, Bella didn't know which. It'd almost become part of her dresser, which is why she didn't remember it existed when Esme dropped off the apple pie she'd made in the morning. She snorted, washing her plate. She and Charlie had tried it and just kind of eyed each other until she threw half of it onto her plate and the other onto his. And then they drifted away from each other, continuing their silent agreement not to pass judgment for eating half a pie for breakfast.

But boy, did she kind of want to die from eating it all.

"Great, you already have a jacket." Charlie came in from the living room, tossing his keys in the air.

"Huh?" She looked up at him as he put an arm around her shoulders and steered her toward the door. "Tell me we're not going to the Rez."

"I could, but then I'd be lying. And would it kill you to say 'Reservation?'"

Bella slapped a hand to her face even as Charlie locked the door behind them. "I couldn't get a jacket because…?"

"You have one."

"I was about to leave and return it. It's Alice's."

"Perfect," Charlie said without missing a beat.

Bella glared at his smile, reluctantly going to the cruiser. "So I'm doomed to shiver in jeans and a long sleeve. Great."

"Or you could use the jacket for its intended purpose."

"You realize Alice is smaller than me, right?"

He watched her buckle her seatbelt and tapped his shoulders. "You could just drape it over your shoulders and pretend she put it there, can't you?"

Bella's head hit the window and it stayed there. "Charlie, Alice is my best friend." Her head shifted a little as he pulled out the driveway.

"Maybe your best friend should come over for dinner and a movie. Then I can properly meet the girl my daughter got suspended for."

She mentally skipped over the dinner part. "Sounds good, I'll ask. But Charlie, she loves her boyfriend."

"Feelings change, Bells."

She closed her eyes. They didn't change for vampires, not when it came to mates. That's why she didn't understand how Esme was acting on Friday. Unless the woman was just trying to normalize it for her to try making her feel better?

"I'm just saying," Charlie continued. "You never know. And it seems like she makes you pretty happy."

"She does," she admitted.

Charlie nodded even though she couldn't see it. After a few turns, he said quietly, "I was almost ready to ask if you wanted to see someone for your depression."

A dry laugh escaped Bella. "Renèe doesn't realize I'm depressed, just thinks I need to be more active and maybe find a boyfriend. Meanwhile you'd put it together and already considered avenues for me."

His hands squeezed the steering wheel. "I didn't fight for you because I didn't feel I could be there for you enough with my job. I regret that now."

Esme's question about her becoming a vampire surged to the front of her mind. "We have now, Charlie. It's okay."

He exhaled sharply. "Well, what I'm saying is that if someone makes you happy, you should try. Denial isn't good for you. If you think you see a chance, maybe you aren't hallucinating. And for someone to combat your depression, they have to mean something to you."

"Thanks for the advice, Charlie. I mean it." Bella stared at nothing out the window, lightly biting her lip.

After a couple minutes, almost as if reading her mind, he asked, "Have you seen the other one lately?"

She finally sat up. Stretching, she frowned at him. "You mean Rosalie?"

"Yeah, the uptight one? Rosalie."

"'Uptight.' That's one word for her," she chuckled.

"So?"

Bella hummed. "Yeah. We're friends." Her brow furrowed. "Maybe best friends, if I'm not crazy."

When they got to a stoplight, he glanced at her. "Really?"

"Yeah. Why?"

Charlie shrugged, shaking his head a little. "You two seem wildly different."

"Same with Alice, honestly. She has more pep in the morning than I'll have in my entire life. And I still haven't swayed her from wanting to give me a makeover. But yeah, I know what you mean. Rosalie's classy and graceful and meticulous."

The corners of his eyes crinkled in a smile. "Ah, so you if you had good qualities."

"Hey!" She slapped his arm. "She also loves books, doesn't like people much, and her tongue can cut steel."

"I see how you guys could bond over that, but, well, you know?"

Bella nodded, as it was a topic she'd thought about often. "Where we differ, we differ. She might be a rogue supermodel and I but a simple couch potato, but being around each other is just…easy."

Charlie glanced at her sidelong, his brow pulled down in thought.

"At least she's calm most of the time. Alice is constantly ricocheting around. Not that I mind, but I feel like I'm trapping Alice whenever we just sit in silence, doing nothing."

He slowed to a stop, shifting the cruiser into park. "Calm? She seems like she has a storm just under her skin at all times."

"She does. It's nice." As she hopped out the car, she missed the look Charlie focused on her.

Chilling with Jacob had been just that, thankfully. Chilling. Charlie and Billy had disappeared to wherever almost instantly, meanwhile they'd popped open a couple sodas and fallen onto the couch to watch a movie. The air didn't hold whatever tension it had last time and Bella chose not to think about it and just accept it as some small blessing.

A woman vainly ran down the street in the movie, screaming for someone to help her and her already dead friends. Of course, the killer was gaining on her.

They both looked up when the door opened and a few moments later, Leah flopped down on the couch between them. She ignored Jacob's glare and instead nodded her head while looking at the TV. "Heyo, Bella."

She nodded back. "Heyo, Leah."

Jacob, however, had no such casual composure as either of them. "We're kind of watching a movie."

"I see that."

His jaw clenched.

"Guessing you forgot you promised Seth a week ago that you'd let him work on those bikes with you today."

"Shit!" He jumped to his feet, but instead of leaving, he only stared at Bella.

"Go on, dude. Leah doesn't bite."

She laughed as if Bella made some kind of hilarious joke.

Jacob scowled, but he still waved before trotting out the room.

After they heard the door close, Leah stared at Bella.

She raised an eyebrow.

"Walk with me."

The fact it wasn't a request made her only blink.

Leah stood, dusting off her jeans. She offered her hand, pulling Bella to her feet with little to no effort.

Upon exiting the house and going around the garage, where they waved at Jake and Seth, Bella finally spoke. "What's with everyone in Forks and walking?"

"Not much to do, and nature is good for you." Leah stuck her hands in her pockets as they made it to the tree line. "Plus, you're getting the smell of vampires everywhere."

Bella choked on air, stumbling. Instead of going to the ground, she fell halfway into Leah's quick arms. She straightened up, but didn't let go. "You're hot."

"Tell me something I don't know," she said with a smirk.

"No, like, your fucking skin." She stared at Leah, putting together what seemed wrong earlier. Short-sleeved shirt, no jacket. "How are you not cold?" She squeezed Leah's forearms. "You're too lucid to have a fever. Are you _dying,_ dude?"

She smiled down at Bella, though it held a faint twist to it. "You know you can let go, right?"

Bella shoved her hands into her pockets. "Shit, sorry. You're warm and I'm cold. And what the fuck?"

"If you're that cold, we can go cuddle."

Bella gaped at her.

Leah laughed, rubbing her temple and waving a dismissive hand. "Sorry. I'm sorry. Apparently you fluster easily and I find it amusing." The smile on her face faded. "I just needed that, I guess."

Bella's jaw worked until she gave up on speech. She frowned at the trees, obviously trying to pick what topic she wanted to tackle first.

"You're cute, but I'm not interested, if that's what you're wondering."

A noise squeaked out of Bella before she held up her hands. "Just. Stop talking."

Leah crossed her arms.

"Uhm, okay." Bella ran a hand through her hair and looked around as if trying to get her bearings. "Let's start with the vampire comment."

"No games. You smell faintly like them." She jerked her chin to the jacket over Bella's shoulder. "And that smells a lot like them. The open air makes it better."

She stared at her hand for a moment. "I smell like them? Wait, okay, no games. You're a shifter?"

Leah looked away.

"Uh," Bella said stupidly, hoping to backtrack to an easier topic. "You're bisexual or just fucking with me?"

"Both."

She narrowed her eyes at the subtle grin on Leah's face.

"Can we start walking?"

Bella noticed her tapping foot. "Sure."

After they'd gone past a few trees, Leah prompted, "Next?"

"Is that why you're so hot?"

"Genetics?"

Bella's eyes rolled.

"Well, it's still genetics. Shifters wind up being shifters as a response to fucking leeches being around, stinking up the place, bringing death with them."

Bella kicked a fallen branch before glancing at Leah.

She sighed. "Sorry. I know they're your friends, as Billy won't shut up about it and you have one of their jackets."

"You're usually pretty chill."

"Yeah. Usually. When I'm not busy being bitter about life itself."

Bella huffed. "Okay, so why'd you want me here? It wouldn't have been the first time I chilled at Jake's alone."

"I…" Leah shook her head, coming to a stop. "Let's go back."

"What's going on?" When she didn't get a response, Bella jerked her head toward the beginning of a clearing a little ways away and led the way. Leah's footsteps indicated she followed, albeit reluctantly, and soon enough she was sitting in the clearing with Bella. "So?"

Leah sighed. "We've never been exactly friends, but we're cool, right?"

"I don't go into the woods with people I'm not cool with."

"I'm a little concerned by how many people try to lure you into the woods now."

Bella's eyes rolled yet again.

A few blades of grass came up thanks to Leah's fingers. "I wanted to talk to someone not from the Rez. But I couldn't do that. But then you got in on all the supernatural knowledge and shit. I'd thought about going up to your house, but figured that was too weird."

"Maybe, but I still would've opened the door."

She eyed Bella. "Really?"

"You're not a shit person, so yeah."

Leah snorted, then she sighed softly. "I'm angry all the time."

Such a simple statement, but it immediately killed any positivity in the air around them. Bella drew up her legs some and wrapped her arms loosely around them, waiting.

"At least, it seems like it. It feels like I consistently have a damn fever without feeling ill. I'm so _hungry_ —"

"That's not new."

Leah swatted Bella's knee. "You can't talk. Anyway, I feel like my skin is crawling, trying to tell me something. It's all so damn obvious and no one will say anything, like I'm some kind of fucking mistake."

Before Bella, could ask, Leah jumped to her feet and started pacing.

"My mom and I argue all the time because of this. Still, no one says anything. My dad just stares at me like he doesn't know what to do with me. No one else says anything. Whenever someone does say something, they're just telling me to calm down." Leah jerked her hand through the air, the gesture empty aside from her frustration.

"If anything, that's the mistake."

Leah made a disgusted noise. "What makes it worse is Sam. Sure, he tore my heart out, but we were friends, too. He wouldn't even look at me, be in the same building as me. I understood, but that didn't make it hurt less. Now he's just around sometimes, just fucking staring. Like the elders. Just staring. It's obvious, but it hasn't happened yet. And no one says anything. They just stare. Like maybe we can just pretend it isn't real."

Something tickled at the back of Bella's mind. She started scooting back a few feet. It wasn't necessary, as Leah's pacing had turned erratic, a random pattern mostly consisting of stomping that pulled her further from Bella.

"Seth doesn't understand. I have to look into his worried eyes every damn day as he wonders what's wrong with me. And I hate myself because part of me kind of hates him. I kind of hate him and everyone else. It's a thing of pride for a man's son to become a shifter. It's an honor to protect our people. A fucking honor. Shifters stand between everyone and fucking leeches."

Bella scooted back a couple more feet, listening to what she identified as instinct.

Leah didn't notice.

A dark laugh tore out of her as she spun on her heel again. "I didn't ask for this. I don't know why it's even happening. Sam and his pack shifted when the Cullens came back and there aren't any more of them so I don't understand. But to just be ignored? To be stared at like this? To see the disappointment in my father's eyes that his _son_ isn't fucking—" her words cut off in a strangled noise of frustration as she wrung her hands in the air.

The noise mutated into a scream, preluding a sort of tearing, exploding noise.

Bella's heartrate shot up quicker than any time a vampire had startled her. She fell back onto her hands, mouth hanging open.

The torn and tattered remains of Leah's clothes drifted down like the closing notes of a song.

Front paws dug deeper into the ground as Leah looked between them. She tensed as if to run away, to run from life itself. But then she relaxed, a low whine escaping her as she hung her head.

Heart still hammering in her chest, Bella got to her feet. Tentatively, she approached the massive, grey wolf.

No response.

She reached out and lost her hand in the obscene amount of fur at Leah's shoulder to just press firmly against her.

The wolf stiffened, as if she'd forgotten Bella existed.

She didn't say anything. She wasn't sure she _could_ say anything.

Leah turned abruptly, brown eyes darting all over Bella. As Bella opened her mouth, the wolf started sniffing her. Finally, her brain started working again, so Bella only swatted at her absently. But then Leah pushed her head against Bella's chest and she understood just before Leah whined again.

"I'm okay. You're not Sam. I'm fine."

Leah padded a few feet away and laid down, eyes on nothing.

Bella sat next to her. She bit her lip. "You know, this doesn't mean you _have_ to be in his pack."

Large brown eyes vaguely looked at Bella.

"It does, however, mean Jake is going to be devastated."

Leah lifted her head, tilting it.

"This is some serious best friends territory, dude."

Leah pushed Bella over with her head.

Bella laughed and flicked Leah's ear, ignoring the glare it earned her. "Soooo. I'll go awkwardly grab a set of your clothes and we can go be bored as hell at the only mall Forks has that I've never been to. How does that sound?"

After a pause, Leah nodded.

About forty minutes and one _definitely_ awkward conversation with Leah's mom later, Bella was standing in the clearing again. She stared at the trees, casually swinging the bag of clothes around.

"You done yet?"

A low growl answered her.

"Look, I'm going to ask every now and again until I have to be annoyed by your voice again." She stumbled forward when the large wolf bumped into her. "Hey! Rude." Still, she didn't turn around. "Are you really that close to me or did you go out of your way to spite me?"

Bella definitely did not want to see Leah naked. Definitely not.

Not getting a response, Bella started whistling and rolled her shoulders. "I wonder what your mom thinks, especially if you harass every female you see the way you did me."

"I didn't _harass_ you. I was charming. Gimme the bag." She took it when Bella held it back and started rummaging in it. "Besides, no one else knows I'm bisexual."

Bella almost turned around in surprise. "Really?"

"Didn't need another reason for everyone to stare at me."

"So why share that with me?"

"Dunno. You're fun. I've been ready to lose it for a while. I'm not a psychologist."

Bella scoffed. "Obviously."

"You wanna fight?" The words lost any seriousness when Leah laughed. "So you really wanna go to the mall with me?"

"Well, you haven't come through my window, but we're best friends now, right?"

"What?"

"Best friends come through windows, doors are for chumps. It's—You know what? Never mind."

Leah walked up next to her, shoving a leather jacket into her arms. "You need that more than I do. Not even sure I can wear that anymore. And now that I've shifted, you stink of vampire a _lot_ more, so maybe we can cover that up a bit and I won't vomit."

Reluctant, Bella shuffled Alice's jacket from hand to hand so she could put it on. She tossed the vampire's jacket back onto her shoulder before sticking a hand in one pocket while the other ran through her hair. "How do I look?"

"Like a cute punk. Keep it." She pulled at the sleeve when Bella sputtered her protest. "Told you so. I can't wear this. I haven't since I started being hot all the time and went up a few inches. It was my favorite, so consider it a gift."

Bella sighed, walking with her hands in the pockets.

After a few minutes, Leah broke their casual silence. "You don't have a problem with bikes, do you?"

"You're kidding."

Leah bumped into her, winking. "Better hold on tight."

Bella threw her head back, groaning.

"I am kidding, by the way."

"You're an insufferable ass."

"Right back at you, friend."

* * *

 **A/N:** You don't even know how excited I am about the upcoming chapter. _Cackles to self_.


	15. Where Men and Angels Fall

**A/N:** Tbh, this update is only early because it's my gift to myself for my birthday today. It's the only celebrating I support, the kind I share with others. (Edit: Lol it's the 15th chapter on the 15th day!)

Anyway, fun chapter here lol But to preface it, RR expressed a concern. Yeah, it was Leah's first shift, and the secrecy and shit still goes on, but Bella already knew about everything and Carlisle mentioned a meeting with Sam/the Elders/whatever. Wolves consider Bella in need of saving from her choices and Leah's in the know, basically, plus only really Billy seems to be okay with Leah. (That comes in later.) Hope that clears that up.

One Guest said, "Rosalie or any Cullen could smell Leah's scent on Bella." Good point, but I'm not a kind person, so it's worse than that. ;)

* * *

"I'm not much of a mall person, but coming from Phoenix, this place is just _sad_."

"It is." As they went walked to the entrance, she said, "Hey, thanks for feeling like you could talk to me about your mom."

"Thanks for letting me touch your paw without getting mad."

Leah laughed. "Thanks for not having a heart attack."

"Honestly, I think I almost did. But it's cool as fuck that you can shift."

It took half an hour for them to realize they both valued food over browsing anything, so they made for the food court, discussing what to eat.

After Bella insisted on pizza for the third time, Leah threw an arm around her shoulder, gesturing widely with her free hand. "Imagine, a world where we don't each eat an entire pizza."

Before Bella could roll her eyes or laugh, someone behind them called her name as a question. The pair of them turned around together.

First, Bella saw that Alice looked incredibly shocked as she blindly reached for Rosalie with a hand free of bags.

Second, she noticed that Rosalie looked _pissed_.

Evidently, that proved to be the only fact she retained as she blurted out, "What's wrong, Rosalie?"

Dark, amber eyes dragged from the arm still around Bella's shoulders. "I simply did not know you would be here with a damned dog."

Alice elbowed Rosalie, cutting off the hiss too quiet for human ears.

Leah, knowing that the vampires could hear her perfectly well, leaned into Bella, whispering, "Is the blonde bitch your friend or can I be rude?"

Bella's frown remained as she stepped out from under Leah's arm and caught Alice's jacket before it fell off her shoulder. Making vague eye contact with the small vampire, she thrust the jacket out to her without a word. Then, even though amber eyes never looked at her, she grabbed Rosalie's wrist and led her away with minimal resistance.

"So," Alice said distractedly behind them, "Pizza, right?"

Bella steered them through a few throngs of people, nearly walking into a small child before she pulled her into a family restroom and locked the door. "Are you okay?"

After a breath, a slight nod. "Yes, I'm fine."

"Du—Rosalie, no." She pointed at the door. "You were all ice and shit and looked ready to tear someone's head off back there. Fuck your composure."

Amber eyes traced a pattern in the paint on the wall. "My apologies. You caught me off guard. I knew you weren't home, but I didn't know you were with a d—shifter."

Bella deflated a little. "How'd you know I wasn't home?"

Rosalie sighed, crossing her arms. "I went to drop something off to you."

"Funny. I try to go drop off Alice's jacket and Charlie drags me to the Rez, which makes me miss you dropping something off, and here we are now. What was it?"

"Don't worry about it."

Bella raised an eyebrow, wondering why it felt like they were having a fight and if she was just crazy. "Well, I know you're upset because you still haven't looked at me."

Unfolding her arms, Rosalie shook her head a little. She moved to unlock the door and leave. "Admittedly, I was greatly surprised, but everything is fine. I definitely didn't mean to interrupt your date."

 _Date._ The word echoed in her head like an alarm. Bella nearly jumped the feet between them, skidding out the restroom and catching Rosalie's wrist. She pulled when Rosalie didn't turn around, making an exasperated noise when that still didn't work. "I'm not on a date!"

She sighed, only halfway turning. "You hardly tolerate people. You're walking around the mall with someone's arm around you and wearing their jacket, discussing what you two will eat. It's _fine_ —"

"Leah's an annoying flirt, but she's not my girlfriend. I—"

"Then I didn't mean to interrupt your date with your friend."

Half of a strangled scream left her throat. She did a double-take at a mom glaring at them, holding her baby. Brown eyes sighted on a bench. She hoped Rosalie would follow as she started walking. The whole while, her brain was going haywire, trying to understand the current situation she was in and why Rosalie acted this way. For some reason, a mixture of Alice and Esme's words bounced around her head as if her subconscious was trying to tell her something, or maybe hope for something. She shook her head. She sat heavily, pulling Rosalie down with her.

The vampire crossed her legs, staring forward.

Bella knew she wasn't looking at anything. She didn't know what to comfort her about because what the fuck was Rosalie even upset about?

"It seems I now owe her an apology for both being rude and for stealing you away."

Bella ran a hand through her hair, glancing at a screaming kid. This wasn't going to work. "You know what? Go stand outside." She almost cursed at Rosalie for finally looking at her, for looking at her just because it was such an odd thing to say, but she instead hopped to her feet, trotting away. "I'm serious," she called.

It took her all of five minutes to find Alice and Leah sitting at a table, casually talking while the shifter shoveled away pizza to the depths of her stomach. Two pairs of eyes studied her as she came up to them.

"You two friends now or something?"

"She stinks, but smells a little like you," they both said.

When Leah stared at her, Alice only giggled.

Normally, Bella would've laughed, but life had thrown a bit too much at her today and she'd slept less than she wanted. "Great. Whose car did you come in?"

"Rose's." Alice sighed, turning to Leah. "I'm afraid I'm going to stink up your car."

"What?"

"Thanks. Sorry, dude. Text me, okay? Thanks again for the paw thing." She got a confused fist-bump from Leah before wrapping her arms around Alice and squeezing as hard as she could. "Love you. Miss you. Torture without you."

She jogged away while Alice called after her, "It better be!"

Bella cursed as she almost crashed into a small child again. Really, a lot of parents could improve on policing their kids at malls. What if she was a kidnapper? She shook her head, not liking the mess in her head. But then another thought popped up. She didn't have a backup plan if Rosalie hadn't agreed to waiting outside. The vampire had a habit of disappearing and definitely didn't like being dismissed. She faintly felt her phone vibrate and, thinking it was a confirmation of her fears, stopped to look at it.

 _Tell your girlfriend I'm sorry._

Rolling her eyes, she started to put it away when another came through.

 _Don't say she's not._

 _Trust me, she's your girlfriend. You better get a million roses or something._

She slapped a hand to her face, shoving the phone into her pocket. Honestly. She might strangle Leah one day.

Thankfully in the short journey to the doors, she didn't encounter any more errant children. She looked from left to right, seeing amber eyes already on her. Rosalie pushed herself off the wall but didn't go anywhere. Bella almost rolled her eyes for the hundredth time since being awake. She trotted over, only lightly puffing. All the walking being in Forks caused had done wonders for her cardio.

"Where's your car?"

A blonde eyebrow arched. Then she led the way wordlessly, dusting off the shoulder of her shirt.

Bella felt inclined to shaking her. Just a little. The feeling increased in the two minutes it took to reach the red BMW. "Sorry about bringing dog smell into your car."

Rosalie didn't say anything at first. She cranked the car. Turned on the air conditioning, turned the radio down to a casual mumble. "You really didn't have to abandon your date on account of me being a bitch. It's a regular occurrence, as you very well know."

Oddly enough, a laugh shook Bella's shoulders and her head slammed back against the headrest. "Charlie thinks Alice is or will be my girlfriend. You think Leah's my girlfriend. Leah thinks you're my girlfriend. Meanwhile I'm starting to think I'm missing something."

"Leah," Rosalie said as if committing the name to memory. "Leah thinks I'm your girlfriend?"

If she wasn't so tired and at such a loss, she would've gawked at the vampire. But she just looked over, watching an unreadable face and amber eyes that stared at nothing out the windshield. It wasn't the reaction she expected. Hell, it wasn't a reaction at all.

"Why?"

Such a simple question, an innocent one, but Bella's mind singled it out as the incorrect response. The words of Alice, Esme, Leah—and even in some cases Rosalie—collided into a thought. Maybe she _was_ missing something. Her heart kicked up and she swallowed heavily, unable to deal with that at the moment. "Not sure. I never really hung out with Leah for more than an hour at a time before today."

"What changed?"

"She needed to talk to someone." She rolled her head over, looking out her window. She couldn't possibly be missing anything.

"Is she better now?"

"Yeah. She still has a ways to go, though."

"I don't know when I'll see her again, so will you tell her I regret being so rude?"

Bella frowned. "Yeah."

Rosalie Hale was not one to apologize for being a bitch. You dealt with however she was or you got the hell out. Sure, friends weren't shitty to your other friends, but…

 _I'm thrilled._

Esme's words over her feelings drummed into her head again. She didn't think Esme was a cruel person, and there was only one reason to be _thrilled_ someone romantically cared about your daughter. And Alice's insistence that she flirt with Rosalie. Alice, who saw the future. Except, that would mean—

Her mind couldn't finish the thought.

She recalled Rosalie's earlier hostility.

The memory of Rosalie coming between her and Carlisle flashed.

Rosalie's smiling eyes at the mansion.

But that just couldn't _be._

"Are you alright?"

"Wh—" Bella's voice cracked and she swallowed. "What?"

"Your heart's beating too fast to just be sitting here. Have you eaten today?"

"Half the pie Esme brought."

"Put on your seatbelt. We'll go get some food."

She almost gawked again, but she buckled up.

"Did you say 'half?'"

"Yeah."

Bella saw a small smile on her face and almost considered crawling out the window as Rosalie backed the car out. If that's what Bella was missing, it'd explain why she looked ready to burst back by the food court.

"If your da—friend—was upset, you should've stayed with her instead of coming with me."

"That's the thing, Aristotle." She rubbed her hands on her jeans. "Leah's not ready to explode anymore. You, however, are not all settled yet."

"I told you, I'm—"

"Aristotle, don't you dare bullshit me."

She sighed. "So why do you call me that?"

"Because," Bella stopped to laugh and readied her finger quotes. "'Can we die if we do not truly exist?' Plus I wanted to bother you."

Rosalie stared at her, though she perfectly kept in her lane. "You remember exactly what I said?" When Bella glanced at the road, she slowly returned her gaze to it.

"Duh. It stood out. Where are we going?"

"There's a pizzeria up the block," Rosalie said distractedly.

It was considerate, and in the still-new light of this revelation, Bella didn't know what to do it, but she still felt crazy. "So do you still think Leah's my girlfriend?'

She tapped a finger to the steering wheel. Then she turned into the parking lot.

"Leah's not my type." She bit her lip, busying herself with exiting the car as she waited for Rosalie's response.

"Oh?"

Bella trotted to the entrance to hold the door for Rosalie, hating how ridiculous her heartrate was. Debating how to proceed certainly didn't help. "Yup," she said quickly.

No other words passed between them, and Bella couldn't help wondering if Rosalie had an internal discussion with herself on the pros and cons of asking just what her type was. Meanwhile, Bella absolutely did not know what she'd say if she decided to ask. Rosalie, regardless of internal debates, had no problem looking at her as if she'd grown an extra head when she only got a single slice to go. And then proceeding to avoid contact and consume it as quick as possible without being too rude as they went to the doors didn't help the puzzled crease on Rosalie's brow. The blonde stopped outside when Bella did, watching her finish off the slice with a slight cough and throw away her trash.

Down the street, Rosalie finally asked, "Is there a reason you did that?"

"Pretty sure I'm making your car smell bad enough."

"Pizza is preferable to wet dog," she said absently, making a turn.

"Where are you going?"

"To your house."

"Nah."

"You know Alice isn't home."

"I didn't think we would head there."

Rosalie glanced at her when she got to a stoplight. "Apparently, I am missing something."

She shrugged a shoulder. "Wherever you wanna go to talk."

"I'm not in the mood to talk." Rosalie turned left, going toward Bella's house.

"Well then, wherever it is you wanna go in silence."

Amber eyes shot her a glare. When Bella didn't correct herself, she stated, "You're not dense."

"Not in this case, no."

Rosalie's fingers drummed on the steering wheel. "You know very well I want to be alone."

Bella waited until they passed another stoplight. "Well that's shitty."

It took nearly ten minutes for Rosalie to open her mouth again, but Bella cut her off.

"You ever think of an answer for the place where men and angels fall?"

Rosalie sighed. Eventually, she parked in Bella's driveway and sat back, still staring forward. "I loathe to admit it, but I even asked Edward his thoughts on it. He says pride. I don't agree."

"But you don't have an answer, either." Bella got out the car and started strolling toward the side of her house.

With another sigh, Rosalie followed suit by getting out. "No, I don't."

Bella froze mid-step.

"What is it?"

A grin slid onto Bella's face as she turned around. She trotted to the front door, fumbling with her keys. However, her excitement was short-lived. She nearly fell when a hand grabbed the neck of her jacket and pulled. "Hey!"

"No," Rosalie said casually, as if she wasn't dragging Bella backwards around her own house.

"But my curiosity burns for whatever you dropped off!"

"How do you even know I actually left it?"

Bella scoffed, losing the balance she had thanks to a rock and only not falling because of Rosalie's grip. "As if breaking into my house is below you."

"I'm above a lot of things."

Brown eyes widened. She tried to look over her shoulder at Rosalie, but it almost turned into a mess of her falling so she resorted to pointing. "My window is open!"

"You should remember to close it."

"You came in through my _window_? Stop dragging me."

"Why, so you can try to run to your door?"

Bella tried to muster all the indignity she could, which was helped by backpedaling through her own yard against her will. "Try? I'm sorry, are you going to pounce on me or something?" Something between a laugh and a giggle bubbled out of Rosalie and her heart felt a lot like when Leah shifted in front of her, except warm this time.

"Maybe, Isabella. You couldn't stop me if I wanted to."

"It's not fair for you to sound so beautiful," Bella remarked to herself, head spinning a little.

Rosalie let go.

Bella, who had depended on the grip on her jacket for balance, wind milled her arms before hitting the ground with a grunt. She blinked up at a vampire who didn't quite meet her eyes.

"Do you always say such things about your friends?"

She held up a finger, not bothering to stand. "You went through my window. You already know this means we're best friends now, by your choice." A second finger. "I only say such things about you."

"Then I wonder where Leah _possibly_ got the idea that I'm your girlfriend."

Bella swallowed, hoping for eye contact as much as being able to successfully run away. "Maybe she misread the murder in your eyes earlier."

Amber eyes pierced brown, making Bella's breath catch.

"You never told me what upset you." When Rosalie's gaze drifted, Bella sighed tiredly. She didn't know why, her heart was already trying to break her ribcage. Besides, her muddled thoughts could only be a delusion, and she didn't need that.

The vampire moved, a little rigid in her motions like a statue come to life. She knelt so that her knees were just inches from Bella's head, and her eyes held brown ones as she stared down at Bella, just lying in the grass. To those not versed in the subtleties of Rosalie Hale, she would've looked indifferent, but Bella saw the casual thoughtfulness on her face.

"Am I dead?"

Amber eyes drifted to her chest for a moment. "Your beating heart suggests that you're not."

"Your heart doesn't beat, but you're alive," Bella countered.

"My heart is dead, meant to make others the same way."

"My theory is that you're defective."

A small smile came to Rosalie's face at her own words being thrown back at her. "Why ask if you're dead?"

Something cynical twisted Bella's face a little. "Because you look like a fucking angel from down here."

Rosalie's head tilted slightly. With three words, she accidentally sent Bella's heart further into overdrive. "Is it love?" It took a few seconds of Bella's wide-eyed stare to realize she should elaborate. "Where men and angels fall?"

"Yeah," she said in a sharp exhale. "Yeah it is."

Bella's phone rang and she jerked up into a sit, taking a deep breath at being free from the depths of Rosalie's eyes. Feeling the intense gaze on her back, she tried to answer as casually as she could. "Hey, Charlie."

" _Jake said you were with Leah, but I just wanted to make sure you're not at the hospital again."_

"Nope."

" _Good. Billy and I apparently severely underestimated how much beer we'd wanna drink. What are you guys up to? Not table-jumping, I hope."_

Bella heard Rosalie snort just behind her and rolled her eyes. "No we actually wound up bumping into Alice and Rosalie and—"

" _Oh, yeah? How's Alice doing? Did you set up a date yet?"_

She slapped her free hand to her face. "I'd assume she's fine. She's with Leah."

A pause. _"So where are you, then?"_

"I only mentioned one other person, Charlie."

" _I'm glad she cares about you, but I still don't understand how you and someone so uptight get along."_

Bella closed her eyes. The idea of hanging up entered her mind.

" _Now, you and Alice might differ in terms of pep, but—"_

"Charlie, please."

He huffed. _"Well, you're the one who said I should worry more about the Cullens than Jake and you don't like boys—"_

At that very moment, she was too occupied with wanting to just _die_ on the spot to process anything else he said. Maybe if there was a God, she could sink into the ground and disappear forever. She lowered her phone, blinking at it, and hung up in the middle of whatever he was saying. In the new silence where she did not sink into the ground, she could hear her heart beating on her eardrums. Her brow furrowed before she realized her phone shook not because it was possessed, but because of her nerves. She didn't dare look back. Maybe, just maybe, if she moved slowly enough, she could escape into her room and Rosalie would respect that.

"Sooo," Rosalie drawled out, an almost sadistic smile in her voice, "One of the Cullens is your type?"

It seemed Rosalie would not respect her desire to escape.

Bella started to push herself up to her knees, but a hand snapped to the collar of her jacket, pulling her back down.

Nope. Not respecting it.

Her phone rang again. She rushed to answer it, thankful for the distraction, even if it was only a temporary reprieve.

" _You better have a good reason for hanging up on me._ "

"Uh," she said stupidly, acutely aware of Rosalie's presence just behind her. "I really had to focus on where I was walking so I wouldn't try my luck and fall and maybe break something. Didn't actually mean to hang up either."

" _What the hell are you doing?"_

"We're walking through the woods and stuff."

" _Really? She does that?"_

"Charlie."

" _What? Like you said, she looks like a rogue model."_

Suddenly, Bella wished Leah had just killed her while shifting.

" _So did you think about whether or not you want to go to Phoenix?"_

Tired annoyance swept into the whirlwind of her emotions in the form of a slow sigh. "I don't want to go, but I also don't want her to harass you to death. You know she will." As he mumbled something, she rolled her shoulders. "I think I'll go just to make everyone's lives easier."

" _Whatever you decide, kiddo. Remember to be safe out there. Things can and will eat you."_

After a semi-awkward goodbye, she rubbed her temple, discarding her phone in the grass. The thought of being dragged around by Renèe already started up a headache, and in the wake of everything else today, she desperately wished she was asleep.

"You're leaving?"

The wild shift in tone to something close to _vulnerable_ made Bella freeze. She swallowed, afraid to turn around. Upon failing to produce words, she realized she had no choice. Her gaze dropped to prepare herself. Bella turned slowly, steeling herself even as she crossed her legs. Rosalie was still on her knees. A bit of grass had caused a green stain on her jeans. Finally, she looked up, and eyes searched her own even as she looked at Rosalie.

Open expression was rare for the blonde, unless it dwelled in the realm of annoyance, yet there she was. Confused worry pulled her perfect eyebrows together just the slightest. Her lips had parted only barely enough for Bella to be able to see it. And her eyes. Her eyes sent a pang to Bella's heart even as she contemplated the possibility of drowning in someone's eyes. The amber of them always signaled she'd come to some form of hunger or emotional distress, but it was a rich, almost liquid color that only made her hair seem more vibrant. It came to her eyes more often than the other vampires, so it'd almost become Rosalie's standard eye color to Bella, setting her aside from the others.

"Bella?"

Still that _tone_. But it shook her. She blinked, taking in air for the first time in however long. "I—It's just." She rubbed one of her eyes. "Just for Thanksgiving break. Maybe only part of it if I can manage it."

Rosalie's gaze released Bella, drifting.

She watched composure leak back into the vampire, but noticed not all the usual bricks fell into place on the wall between her and the world. Bella stared, fascinated. She stared, still lost in the depths of Rosalie Hale.

"You don't want to go."

"No," Bella whispered, willing amber eyes to pierce her again. She watched the subtle tensing of Rosalie's jaw.

"I...I'm going to go hunting."

And like that, Rosalie was standing again. She still couldn't even process the loss she felt now that Rosalie wasn't looking at her, so the physical distance nearly made Bella reach for her. Nearly.

Bella received no help getting up. She didn't mind, of course. She understood. That didn't mean she hadn't wanted it just for the sake of it, though.

Dimly, she became aware that the loud thudding noise was her heart.

She swallowed and opened her mouth, hoping to say something to draw back Rosalie's gaze. Nothing. Nothing came out. What could she say? What did she even _want_ to say? All she could think of was reaching out and touching Rosalie, to feel her, to know she was there.

Finally, like the reluctant answer of a prayer from a god, Rosalie looked at her. With closed off eyes, it wasn't the same, but she did smile, just a little.

Bella blinked, and she was gone.

Air whooshed out of her as she dragged her hands across her face, but then she stopped. She held them up, studying them. They were shaking. She was shaking. Rosalie's words played in her mind.

 _It's more intoxicating and more damning than any drug you can possibly imagine._

She took care with her steps, minding the dizzy mess Rosalie had left her as. An absent curse left her lips while she stooped to pick up the keys she dropped. Right key, successful turn, no dropping this time. However, her hand paused on the doorknob and she looked over her shoulder at the red car in the driveway. She wondered if it indicated Rosalie would return or if the vampire would just sneak away in it in a few minutes.

No way to know now.

However, she did know that she'd never feel the need to think of a drug for as long as she knew Rosalie Hale.

An intimidating thought.

In the middle of grabbing a bottle of water, the thud of her heart quickened again. Bella went up the stairs two at a time against her better judgment—her vision blackened for a second—and burst into her room.

Something she didn't want to put a name to blossomed warmth in her chest at the sight of her gift casually left on her bed, a note tucked under it. She didn't even bother closing the door before sitting and picking up the slightly long box wrapped in dark green and topped with a steel grey bow. Of course Rosalie hadn't forgotten her favorite colors. That just wasn't her style. She absently noted the quality of the cardstock as she unfolded it. The elegant, swooping penmanship of Rosalie Hale stared back at her in the darkest ink she'd ever seen.

 _Swan,_

 _I'd rather not go over what caused me to miss your birthday, as I regret it enough already. You might squawk, but I ask that you don't protest this gift. Money is absolutely not an object to me._

Bella noticed the period was oversized, as if Rosalie had paused there for too long.

 _Especially for you. So do keep your squawking to yourself._

 _I must confess this is more than a simple birthday gift. Perhaps an apology for the fact I have been…difficult, even though you are a walking migraine yourself. Perhaps also an expression of the fact I value having you in my life._

 _In the case that you opened it before reading this note, fuck you._

 _Unfortunately yours,_

 _Rosalie Hale_

Bella reread the note three times, lingering each time on the end. It was a verbal slap, of course, but it also felt like a hint. Before today, she would've written off the thought as insanity, but instead, hope twisted in her chest. Maybe, if she was really crazy, it seemed playful. She grinned at the idea, unable to help herself.

Admittedly, the mention of money worried her a little. Still, she carefully unwrapped the box, feeling as though tearing it open would disrespect the care Rosalie had put into it. Because what didn't she do perfectly?

The plain white box stared up at her.

Taking a deep breath, she removed the top, and her breath caught.

A voice in her head pointed out she was getting her human stains on it even as she gently lifted the book. But she just turned it over in her hands, admiring the mildly worn leatherwork with awe and disbelief. She ran her index finger along the gilded pages, still processing that she was actually holding it. A collection of Lovecraft's work. No doubt a collectible copy, knowing the person who'd bought it.

She ran her fingers across the lettering on the front, one word escaping her in a soft breath, "Rose."

* * *

 **A/N:** Hoping it's yay instead of nay for this chapter. Didn't know I needed Rose manhandling Bella by her collar until it happened.

Okay, Black Star is being put on a biweekly update schedule until, uh, I forget. June? After that, we're switching to weekly updates (yay!) for fun and to get this going. Guessing we'll be done in like, August? September? I'm most likely not going to write anything else Twilight after Black Star, but I'm considering a bundle of Bella/Rosalie one shots/drabbles near the end or after. We'll see. More specifics are on my profile or you can PM me.

See you guys next time!


	16. End of Silence

**A/N:** So Black Star is a year old today! This "oneshot" seriously got away from me lol I don't regret it, and I'm so glad to have all of you on this journey with me. Honestly.

Someone asked, and I forgot some people only "trudge" through stories for them, so. No lemons. Maybe a little citrusy, but I personally feel even well-written ones will still be humorous or cringey to someone and that they just don't really add to the story. I feel like they should _do_ something. Jump ship (haha) now if you want.

Anywho, I'm writing the last half of the last chapter from Rosalie's POV for TeganCappa. If you wanna see it too, PM me or something. (This offer does not expire. PM me in 2020 and I'll deliver.) But we all know Rosalie fucking lingered around long enough for Bella's reaction to the gift. Now, onto the chapter, alternatively titled, "The Beginning of Edward's Redemption Arc and the Snowballing of Rosalie and Bella's Relationship"

* * *

" _There is nothing in this world that will keep me from you."_

Bella rolled over, grabbing her pillow and crushing it against the side of her head. A tired, muffled groan quickly turned into pure frustration. Rosalie's words beat against her mind, sure. But if that was the case, why the hell hadn't they done more than glance at each other and offer a few "Hellos" in two and a half weeks? Particularly since Rosalie seemed to be growing more and more subtly annoyed. Or maybe it was impatience?

She rolled over again.

She'd never understand women, even when she did understand them. Especially vampire women. Alice treated her like a show she wanted to binge and then just checked in between new seasons. Then binge watched it all over again when the new season came out. Rinse and repeat. Better than Rosalie, though. Alice still popped up and chatted and hugged and waved all the time, even between metaphorical seasons.

And when would she learn how to sleep like a normal person again?

She sat up, wrenching her arm back, but instead of throwing the pillow, she let it go. Inhale. Exhale. Knowing her luck, she'd knock something down and wake Charlie if she threw it against the dresser. She moved to the edge of the bed and picked up her clock. 2:06. Oh, so she'd only been trying to sleep for the past four hours.

Fantastic.

She stared at a wall until the clock displayed 2:14. A few minutes later, she was leaving a note on the kitchen table and stepping out the door. She jostled the keys in her pocket, staring at her truck, but in the end, she only climbed into the back of it and just stared up at the sky. Mild regret rose in her as she shivered. The nights were getting colder. A large, fluffy cloud slid across the partially clear sky and a small contentment started to settle in her.

"Ah, I'd…"

She raised an eyebrow. Pushing herself up into a sit, she studied Edward, who stood a few feet away. He messed with his hair and avoided looking at her.

"I heard you leave your house, so I came to see if you were alright."

Bella reclined in the truck again. "Thanks."

"Should I call—"

"Nah."

Silence settled in so deeply he could've left, but she knew he still stood there. Awkward and staring, unable to take a hint. Your typical Edward. The thought of whether or not she could currently deal with him occupied her. Dismissing him seemed like too much effort at the moment, though. Maybe he would bore her to sleep.

"Are you still under the two-person escort rule around me?"

"Yes."

She made a noise. Tucked her arm under her head for a pillow. "Pretty sure if you tore my throat out, at least one member of your family would murder you and kill me over again."

Given the fact she was in the bed of the truck, she didn't see him grimace.

After a few silent minutes where she couldn't enjoy the sky thanks to his awkward air, she asked, "So do you just linger around my house like a creeper?"

"No!" He cleared his throat. When he spoke again, his voice came out calmer. "No. I was running and I heard your pulse quicken. I stopped. Then the sound of you grabbing your keys."

She hummed.

"Well. Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm doing great." She could practically hear him frown.

"Why are you awake? It's late."

"Because hitting myself in the face with a bat is a little frowned upon."

A pause, as if she'd surprised or horrified him. Probably both. "Have you considered a sleep aid?"

"I wound up building quite the tolerance so I just gave up after a while." She shivered. It really was getting colder. A small puff of a cloud passed over the moon.

"I'm deeply sorry for my…pushy behavior."

"I _kind of_ forgive you so far, but I have a question." She paused, imagining that he nodded his head. "Was your anxiety always so bad or did becoming a vampire make it worse?"

For a moment, silence. Then, the slow rustling of clothes. "May I approach you?"

"Sure. You can sit on the edge if you want." She tapped her foot against the end of the truck bed for emphasis.

His hesitation made her wonder if he changed his mind, but he eventually came over to the side of the truck and draped his jacket over her. "You seem as though you underestimated the weather, even with your hoodie," he explained as she readjusted it and mumbled her thanks. "What do you mean?"

She kept fussing with the jacket-turned-blanket. Did this mean she had to look at him now? Why hadn't he just sat like she suggested? "Thought about it a lot when I was figuring out if I ever felt like genuinely talking to you again. Seems like you worked yourself into an anxiety attack to barrel here and fight with Rosalie just because I didn't answer your phone call. You said becoming a vampire intensifies your traits to a degree."

He didn't say anything for so long that she actually shifted a little to look at him. His eyes studied the space next to her. She wouldn't say they were amber, but maybe a little darker. Emptier and more pained than even when Jasper's eyes were along the same color. But the pain held a different aspect than Jasper's, a more concerning one. Self-loathing.

She also noticed he wasn't breathing.

"Edward."

His eyes snapped to hers, and she almost jumped as a result.

"I…" His gaze drifted again, a frown on his lips. "I'd like to think it's simply that you're my singer. But you are most likely right. Looking back, I would say I've always had anxiety, though it never really occurred to me before. I doubt the others as well." He offered a self-deprecating smile. "They would tell you that I am a whiny brat. They would still be correct. Anyway, yes, intensified traits. That probably played a role in making my responses to things a bit…excessive."

"Control issues will do that to you." She missed the indignant look that crossed his face when she turned to the sky again.

Edward cleared his throat. "May I ask you a question in turn?"

"Shoot." Something tickled at her spine. She sighed inwardly, preparing to hate her insomnia even more for leading her here.

He rested his arms on the side of the truck, staring down at her with interest. Disbelief tinted his tone. Just a bit. "Why do you choose to be around those without souls?"

Brown eyes shut. She took a deep breath, sitting up and facing him. An eyebrow arched. "I counter that with asking how in the fuck you live with yourself."

He blinked, his expression twisting. "I—"

"How the fuck do you go around proclaiming your family is soulless?"

"I don't. I—"

"Yes you do. Vampires are this, vampires are that. How do you call _Esme_ and _Alice_ soulless monsters and live with yourself? Say you love them? Emotionally hurt your family with every breath you take? If you even subconsciously have empathy, then no wonder you hate yourself. I can't even imagine how you make Jasper feel."

The metal of the truck squealed under his hand for half a second before he caught himself. Still, his back and shoulders were rigid. Pain lurked in his features. "You," he said slowly, sighing, "You shame me with your wisdom."

"It's not wisdom. It's common sense and decency. Caring about more than yourself." She watched as he did what passed for flinching as a vampire. "How long have you been this way, dude?"

He avoided her gaze.

A shuddering sigh left her as she threw herself back down. "You can't hate yourself if you're soulless, Edward. You should really think about whether or not you regret the fact that you're a vampire. Probably what you live for, too."

He craned his head back, contemplating the sky with her. "I would say you abuse me with words if you were wrong. Once upon a time, I still would've said you do."

"Yeah, well. Life's shit and then you die. Or don't die, in which case you have time to make it not shit. You should take advantage of that." She shifted in the truck, hoping to find her previous, comfortable position again. Probably not going to happen since Edward had a tendency of annoying the shit out of her.

"For a while, I was certain every moment of my life led to you."

Bella winced, mentally cursing and hoping this was only a nightmare. She just _had_ to leave her room.

"I thought I had lived to meet you, to eternally know you. I crave your presence. The fact your mind is dark to me seems like a blessing from God himself. An exciting, permanent surprise." He sighed softly as he tracked an oddly shaped cloud before looking down at her, eyes wandering to his jacket on her. "Your very existence sings to me and I have never felt so alive. I've never wanted anything as I have you. You deserve—"

"Dude, I need you to stop right there." She sat up, dragging her hand through her hair. "And backtrack by like two minutes."

"You're everything to me."

He was too busy looking at her shoulder as he reached for it to notice her change in expression. She slapped his hand away so hard it hurt, but she didn't care. Holding up a shaking finger, unfazed by the pain and regret on his face, she swallowed. "I swear to any and every god—"

"I'm sorry." He folded his arms atop the side of the truck, detached disappointment on his face. "I don't know what to do with this. I had hoped it a mistake, a…You supposedly prefer women and—"

"Ex _cuse_ me?"

"You don't need to raise your voice."

His casual annoyance made heat flare in her chest. She surged to her feet, jerking a hand through her hair, a fist at her side. "If you weren't a vampire, I'd kick you in the fucking teeth."

"Do you really love her? Do you really feel the bond?" He asked quietly, searching her eyes.

Before she could even inhale, Edward flew backwards through the air and skidded down the street. Rosalie Hale stood in his place, a shaking fury as she glared at him. She hissed, "How _dare_ you?"

Instead of answering, he vanished.

Bella jumped at Rosalie suddenly standing in the truck bed with her, a pang of regret going through her when the vampire winced. She hadn't recovered the ability to form words yet. At all. So, she settled. Reaching out and squeezing Rosalie's forearm with a trembling hand, she stared up into black eyes.

Rosalie grasped the pocket of Bella's hoodie in a tight fist, arm shaking, chest heaving a little. But her face was absent of anger. She studied Bella with only a small line between her eyebrows.

As much as she wanted to marvel at how the moonlight made Rosalie's hair look platinum and ethereal, she couldn't leave her gaze. A gentle wind teased her hair, adding to the effect. Bella hardly heard herself, but, of course, the vampire wouldn't have such problems. "Are you okay?"

The corner of her mouth twitched. "I'm supposed to ask you that."

Bella resisted the urge to shiver at the low, almost dangerous tone. However, she finally found herself able to break eye contact and laughed a little, committing this image of Rosalie under moonlight to her mind. "Yeah, well. You know me."

That made the small smile peek out. "I do."

She stroked Rosalie's skin with her thumb and swallowed, trying to keep herself grounded. "You can calm down, you know."

"I _can't_."

The uncharacteristic tremor in her voice made brown eyes meet black again. If it was anyone else, Bella would've written off the faintest pull on her hoodie as them readjusting their grip, but it wasn't anyone else. Though, she did wonder if Rosalie had done it consciously or not.

"I've only once in my life felt so enraged. Black and ugly and consuming. It was greater then, but I…"

During the extended pause, Bella heard herself saying, "You can go hunt if you need to. You're swallowing every ten seconds."

"Excessive venom production." Her jaw tensed. "Esme and I were discussing something when Alice started talking from downstairs. Realizing it was her took a moment because of her empty voice. 'I thought I had lived to meet you, to eternally know you.'" Lip curling, her shaking increased only enough for Bella to barely notice. She swallowed twice. "He doesn't—He could _never_ —I—" Rosalie looked away sharply, but she didn't let go of Bella's pocket.

There was no question that she was in total disarray, wild in emotion and trying not to be. Sympathy pulled at Bella, even in her own state. She fought back her anxiety and remaining anger. Slowly, she released Rosalie's arm, opting to press the inside of her wrist against cold skin instead. Too much hung in the air. Too many words, too many feelings, too many possibilities. But it could all fuck off if it meant making Rosalie feel better.

Tension eased out of her shoulders as the insistent pulse beat against her. "How close were you to trying to kick in his teeth?"

"Honestly, I might've given it a go if you hadn't shown up."

Something that was obviously meant as a tired sigh leaked out of Rosalie. "You can't assault vampires. Especially not when you're their singer."

"I'll—"

"Fight anything," they said.

Bella narrowed her eyes a little, drawing Rosalie's gaze. At least there was some amusement in those black depths now. She huffed good-naturedly. "How else am I supposed to let 'em know I'm sick of them?"

"Tell me. I'll tear them apart."

It was nothing short of a promise. Even as she rolled her eyes, she wondered if Rosalie would ask about Edward's questions right before he learned to fly. Feeling the weight of Rosalie's grip on her hoodie, she almost shook her head. Rosalie Hale was as polite as she was rude. She'd never mention it. In a way, Bella had Edward to thank for the final confirmation that she wasn't crazy. But still, how could Rosalie Hale, of all people…

"What are you thinking about?" When Bella looked confused, she glanced at their point of contact—Bella's increasing heartrate on her skin.

"I, uh." She rubbed her hands on her jeans and looked away, leaving their only connection as Rosalie's continued hold on her pocket. She glanced at Rosalie, struck by the gentle curiosity staring back at her. Another cloud blocked the moon and she felt thankful as she studied the street. Rosalie's hair was already amazing. The platinum look was well beyond unfair. "Rethinking your nickname."

"Mm, just as I began to accept sharing a name with a dead, old man." As she resisted the urge to roll her eyes, Rosalie continued, "Is it in progress or have you selected a new one?"

Regardless of hot cheeks, Bella shoved her hands into the pockets of her jeans and stared off, shrugging as casually as she could. "Venus." She bit her lip and stole a look at the vampire. The beginning of a surprised smile on parted lips. Open affection lurked in black eyes, like ice atop a lake. Threatening to pull her in, to drown her the moment she got close enough.

Rosalie recovered, but the smile grew. "Just when I think your compliments can no longer surprise me, you prove me wrong. I worry the Volturi Queens will somehow catch wind of them and simply end you out of spite."

"Worth it."

Her smile faded. "I tried with every fiber of my being to hate you."

"I know." The words slipped out before she could think. A frown nearly came to her face. She'd never actually thought about it, but just instinctually realized it and accepted it, like nature. It made the word she still couldn't say out loud seem more real. For Rosalie having tried to hate her and for them to be standing here under the moon? It was real, wasn't it?

"You smell like him and I hate it." Her gaze fell on his discarded jacket and she almost missed the fact Bella's heart thudded louder. "I hate him."

Bella messed with her hair. "Don't say that."

She chuckled humorlessly. "We've always had at least some hatred for each other since I've been a vampire. It's only worse now."

Instead of speaking, she made a noise. Bella shook her head. "I can ask you about that later? But ask now if you knew him before?"

"Yes. And no."

Bella partially turned away to yawn into her hand. "Sorry I smell like him."

A frown settled on Rosalie's face. "You should really get into bed." Her eyes darted to his jacket again. "Even then, you're probably cold. I shouldn't have lost myself so much that I forgot these things."

"It's understandable." Bella retrieved her phone, bumping into Rosalie's hand, still clutching her hoodie. "Fucking three-twelve. I might as well stay awake."

The frown deepened.

"Wouldn't be the first time. My kidneys are well-acquainted with energy drinks."

She hesitated. "If you do, then I insist on driving you."

"That's fair, I guess." Bella snorted. "If I knew all it took to summon you was being creepily alone with Edward, I would've done it sooner."

A tired noise dragged out of Rosalie's throat. "Bella, no. I would maybe chastise you for once, but I'm sure Esme and Alice will do that thoroughly."

Bella grimaced.

She studied Bella. "Was that your way of saying you missed me?"

Brown eyes pointedly stared at Rosalie's unrelenting grip. "You saying you didn't miss me?"

The vampire released her immediately, looking away.

Bella ran a hand through her hair. "So, let me be stupid and ask because I don't even know anymore. What exactly has been happening the past few weeks?"

For just a moment, the vampire bit her lip before grinning crookedly. "I'm…difficult. I believe I said as much. However, I'm trying to be mindful of you. Think about it."

Bella sat on the side of her truck, heart beating faster even as she sighed. "I honestly can't keep doing this. It's driving me crazy and I can't pretend it doesn't, not anymore. Maybe if I could ever sleep, but, well. I swing between thinking I'm crazy and thinking I'm crazy for feeling crazy."

She sat on the other side, crossing one leg over the other and folding her hands on her knee. "What, exactly?"

A half-hearted glare. It was such an open question. "Your posture makes me feel like a damn gremlin sometimes."

Black eyes stared.

Bella gestured vaguely without looking at her. She bit back a yawn. When Rosalie looked down to brush imaginary lint from her knee, her hair shimmered in the moonlight and Bella's breath caught.

"There's a question you have yet to answer. You also seem to forget that I'm difficult, though I've reminded you numerous times."

They hadn't even really talked in _weeks_. She'd seriously never understand women. But even as she finished that thought, another lurked in the back of her mind, not yet coherent. Maybe she did need sleep. Well, she did, obviously, but still. Distracted, she said, "You'd be boring if you weren't difficult."

The vampire hummed. She uncrossed her legs and stood, offering her hand. "Regardless, you should at the very least go inside."

Her tired brain forgot to serve as a filter. "Are you coming?"

A rare display of pure surprise overtook Rosalie's face.

Bella practically threw herself over the side of the truck. She fumbled for her keys, wishing her feet would take her to the door instead of just making her stand there. "I'm sure you need a snack and, uh, things."

She watched Bella, who cursed at her keys, all but run to the door. "I would offer to return after hunting, but I worry I'd keep you awake. See you soon?"

Bella nodded hurriedly as she nearly slammed her shoulder on the door while rushing inside. She was halfway up the stairs before she remembered her note and went back to grab it off the table. When she went up the stairs this time, she almost tripped.

Of course, she didn't fall asleep, even as that sweet abyss beckoned her. Too much had happened that she wanted to play over and over in her mind. Too much she wanted to forget. But she didn't even do that. She did what Rosalie said to. She thought about it. She searched for that idea, unformed in the back of her mind, and tried to pin it down, to put words to it. Bella was in the middle of rolling over when she realized the question she hadn't answered. The memory was clear as day.

" _Sooo," Rosalie drawled out, an almost sadistic smile in her voice, "One of the Cullens is your type?"_

Unless it wasn't a literal question. She rolled onto her back, staring up at the ceiling. That had to be it. But Rosalie already knew the answer to that. So why was Rosalie waiting on her answer?

She thought about Rosalie being pissed at the sight of her and Leah.

She thought about the note for her gift with new perspective, trying to see if she'd missed something.

The offhand hint of her age that she'd dropped suddenly rang out in Bella's tired mind.

"Son of a bitch!"

She pulled the pillow from under her head and held it against her face, making a frustrated noise.

The vampire wasn't waiting for an answer in words, but in actions. Her hand had been tipped at the mall, so she'd shifted to a chess game. The question was her opening move, a declaration of intent, and her strategy was being "difficult."

Rosalie gave her time and space to accept the game they played, to plan her next move.

More importantly, Rosalie Hale was waiting to be _courted_.

* * *

 **A/N:** YES, BITCH. COURT HER.

Ahem. Chapter's a little shorter than you're used to, so I'll update in a week instead of two. This sets up some nice stuff, trust me. I know you're wondering "Cloud, how the fuck is this the beginning of Edward's redemption?" but it gets better and a lot more fun. Don't hate him. Also, chapters 19 and 20 might be _long_. Like 8-10k long, hope you don't mind. Trying to get to something I'm hyped as fuck for.

Also, Rosalie looking like a goddess under moonlight? I needed that, don't know about you. And don't worry, Bella's not in denial anymore, just an understanding kind of "This fucking living goddess wants to be with me, what the fuck" period, which won't get in the way of their progression, as she's had a couple weeks to stew in it all.

See you on the 5th!


	17. And End to Illusions

**A/N:** I feel like I've kind of misled you guys lol Rosalie is happy to be courted, (and Bella's happy to do it) but she'll definitely do some courting of her own, don't doubt it. I will be honest with you, I share the excitement of one of the guest reviewers, so I'm not sure I'll be able to wait until the 19th to update.

I almost deleted this and the next chapter several times, but decided that they're right. So here we are, with the second, important whisper of foreshadowing I've dropped. Well. Actually, two whispers of foreshadowing in this chapter. Also, _A Modest Proposal_ is a goddamn gem.

* * *

A grunt answered the knocking on her skull. When it continued, Bella rolled over, closer toward the edge of her bed.

Alice did not smile.

"Just let her have a few more minutes. She's probably only been asleep for two hours or so."

She climbed onto the bed and sat on her knees, contemplating shaking Bella's shoulders. "If she really wanted to sleep, she wouldn't have even been around Edward last night. Especially not alone!"

"Judging from the bags under her eyes, it's not just last night."

Alice halfway turned around. She threw up a hand in vague frustration. "How are you so calm about this? If anyone should be mad, it's _you_."

"Putting aside how I feel about him at the moment, his control has improved greatly. You said yourself you didn't see a danger of him trying to attack her even in his emotion. Jasper confirmed he didn't remotely feel like doing it." Rosalie crossed her arms. "I'd be proud of him if I didn't want to kill him."

"But—"

"She's not a child, either. I trust her. She could've called either of us at any time, and I don't doubt that she would. It was a choice she made. The only issue was," she cut herself off and looked away with only a small growl.

Alice sat back against the headboard, sighing. "You're right."

"I'm more worried about whatever is making her insomnia worse."

A hand gently rubbed Bella's arm. "Should we all just skip today?"

"Don't tempt me like that."

Gold eyes grew impossibly big as they focused on Rosalie. "You hate people anyway. We could feed her and go shopping and have fun. And you'd spend a lot of time with your mate."

An eyebrow arched curiously. "I thought the point was for her to rest."

Bella rolled back over. In her sleep, she threw her arm over Alice's lap and nuzzled into her hip.

"If you were anyone else, I'd throw you through the wall."

Alice giggled and ran her fingers through Bella's hair. "I love you too, Rose."

Not two minutes later, Bella's heartrate eased out the realm of peaceful slumber. It escalated. Brown eyes opened wide and she jerked up and away from Alice so intensely that she fell over the side of the bed with a yelp. She didn't move. "My heart."

The easy, musical laugh of Alice Cullen filled the room. "At least you didn't scream this time!"

"I am so fucking sorry," she said from the floor. "What, uh, what time is it?"

Alice stretched on the bed. "Enough time for Rosalie to make you some breakfast before we leave."

"Excuse me? Rosalie hasn't cooked anything in several decades and does not appreciate being volunteered for things."

Unfazed, Alice smiled at Rosalie's glare.

She finally started moving. "Uh, nah, it's okay. I don't really feel like eating."

Alice peered over the side of the bed so fast she startled Bella into falling back on her hands. "Are you sick?"

Rosalie chuckled.

Bella scowled before standing and going to her closet. "Morning again, Rosalie."

"Morning again, Bella."

She yawned on her way to the bathroom.

Alice grabbed a book off the nightstand and rolled onto her stomach, humming as she turned to the first page.

As Rosalie moved to leave the room, Bella's muffled voice reached them over the sound of running water.

"Give me back my shirt, Rosalie!"

"No," she called.

Alice stared at her pointedly.

Rosalie's eyes narrowed.

She closed the book and asked quietly, "Are you going to do something today or the weekend?"

"No."

"Why play this game? You two drive Jasper crazy and she might not have known about it or believed it before, but she definitely does now. Some denial, sure, but you _are_ exceptionally gorgeous. But you also gave yourself away. Like, say, when you almost lost it at the mall."

"It's not a game." Rosalie sighed, eyes drifting around the room and settling on the gift she'd given Bella. It sat on its own row on the bookshelf.

"Then?"

"Knowing about something and being ready for it are not the same. I would know."

From months ago, the vivid memory of Rosalie screaming that she'd dismember Edward and drag him to wherever they moved because he told a _human_ about them flashed to her mind. A human she'd made eye contact with and fully realized to be her mate.

"She would give up everything for me. Friends, family, humanity." She paused. "I'm not perfect, and I can be and have been selfish, but it escapes me how to ask that of someone I care about. It's not a decision to make lightly and I want her to be sure. If it's going to happen, I want this to be perfect." Absently, she touched her chest and smiled faintly. "As perfect as this feels to me."

She _still_ believed Bella could choose something other than her. Suddenly, the violence of Rosalie's mood at the mall made sense. She must've originally thought Bella was trying to move past whatever she felt by using Leah. Irrational and not going to happen, as Alice saw the future, but a possibility all the same. She decided to break best friend code with a pang of guilt. Bella would forgive her if she ever found out. She sat up and cleared her throat, though she couldn't make eye contact. This felt too much like a betrayal and too intimate for her to be passing along.

Still, she recited Bella's words. "' _I get lost every damn time. Like, I try to stay on the ground, and then there's_ her. _Then I'm just fucking, just gone, man. Less oxygen than space and I don't even care…Like drowning and the water's in your lungs and you know you're gonna die but you've never been more alive than that moment and you can't reach air and you don't even remember what air's like anymore. Only the burn. Your whole life is the burn.'_ "

In the silence, she looked up and nearly gasped. Alice and Rosalie had grown to be best friends and sisters in the years of living in the same house. Alice had seen and heard far too many things she shouldn't have. But never had she seen so _soft_ of an expression on Rosalie's face. It wasn't for her, and she felt like an intruder more than ever, so she blurred over and just hugged Rosalie.

Bella paused upon reentering the room as if it wasn't hers. When neither vampire looked at her, she kept her gaze on the floor and hurriedly put away her clothes and grabbed her backpack. She burned out the room without a word.

* * *

Either it was the lack of sleep or the style of writing, but Bella really couldn't figure out why Mason had been so excited the past week that he rushed the lessons to get to this story. She reread the fifth paragraph. Not retaining it, she moved onto the next one anyway.

Maybe Jonathan Swift could help her sleep at night.

A commotion in the hallway made her glance up to see Jessica trying to get past some kids in the way of the door. Man, she'd forgotten they even had second period together. She checked how many pages were in the story. Not a lot, but damn, the writing might kill her before she reached the end.

Jessica crashed into the seat next to her, oblivious to her startled distress. "Thank god you always get to English early!"

"Uh." Bella raised an eyebrow and glanced at Jessica's usual seat a lot farther to the back and in the middle. She really enjoyed sitting alone against the wall, only a few seats from the front.

"So who is he?"

Bella reoriented her textbook since the girl's sudden appearance had sent it half off the desk. "Who is who?"

Jessica made a noise and waved her hand in a circle, continuing to bore her excited gaze into Bella. "Come on, spill! I want to be one of the first to know. I _need_ to, this is just too juicy."

It was way too early for this. Literally nothing had happened in math earlier aside from her almost falling asleep. "What the fuck are you on about?"

Jessica looked around like they were conspiring to kill someone as more students filed into the room. "Johnson, the senior football player, you know him, right?"

Resting her cheek on her fist, she turned her attention back down to her textbook. She'd heard of him, so she grunted, hoping Jessica would move on and maybe she could grasp this damn story. She bit back a yawn.

"Well, you're friends with Alice Cullen and came to school with them today, so I decided to use my detective skills," she took a breath and smiled to herself, "and ask you instead of run around gossiping like everyone else."

She never really made sense to Bella, but now she just sounded like she'd hit her head too hard. Rereading a sentence twice, Bella's brow furrowed as she gave up. "What?"

The bell rang, so Mason got up from his desk to close the door and cleared his throat to address the class.

Jessica, however, only leaned farther into Bella's space instead of dropping the topic. "Johnson's had a thing for her since ever and popped up to first period with some kids from theatre singing and even got on his knee with a bouquet of roses and asked Rosalie fucking Hale to prom. You know, since her and whatshisname broke up and—"

"Jessica," Mason said loudly, "are you as familiar with _A Modest Proposal_ as I am?"

"Uh, no, Mr. Mason."

"Then if you want to keep sitting next to Bella, stop talking."

Bella tried to focus again, ignoring the way Jessica practically jumped around in her chair and missing the fact a few girls among the gossiping crowd stared at them. Even if Rosalie wasn't a vampire, Bella was sure she'd still want to set the school and everyone in it on fire. Besides, they were…She still couldn't finish the thought. It was just too _unreal_.

Some kid whose name she could never remember came in. At least he had the decency to look embarrassed when Mason turned to him.

Jessica lost no time getting in Bella's space again. "So she said no—"

 _No shit,_ she thought.

"—but she said she already had a date unless they decide to just do something themselves."

Her eyes forgot how to work in the middle of a word.

Jessica straightened in time to look attentive when Mason faced the class again.

Everyone began the process of digging out their textbook.

Bella, however, couldn't even process the 'h' her eyes were stuck on. Her exhaustion must be out of control for her to mishear things that intensely.

Jessica whispered, "Who is he?"

Not exhaustion. Bella swallowed, putting all her effort into dragging her eyes to a blank space on the page.

"Dude, spill!"

Bella slowly stared at Jessica, mind reeling.

Jessica glanced at her and back down to her textbook, flipping to the right page.

"Isabella, is there a problem?"

She turned away from Jessica, blinked at Mason. Her mouth moved hopelessly before she shook her head.

Thankfully, Jessica settled for harassing her with her eyes. Bella barely noticed. Mason kept glancing at her, but he'd been doing that a lot lately as she slept less and less and therefore participated less. If it wasn't for that, he might've actually addressed it.

Bella, meanwhile, was still trying to understand life itself. She'd forgotten prom even existed. Rosalie said she had a date. She seriously wasn't playing games. She just wasn't. This was _serious_. She'd made another move. This was _real_ , not a delusion from her tired brain. Even as Bella acknowledged it was considerate to state they might not attend prom, she felt inclined to punching a certain blonde.

She needed to get with the program.

A small part of her mind asked if she was ready to.

"Well?"

Bella took Jessica's question the wrong way.

The first time she ever addressed the vampire and got a glare from hell, she _knew_ , in some weird, instinctual way. The glare had made her want to smile, made her want to see the opposite in amber eyes. Hell, the sheer _pull_ she'd felt when Rosalie Hale walked into the cafeteria on her first day at Forks High? The way she couldn't even hear Jessica after she'd informed her of the vampire's name. The doubling of her heartrate when golden eyes caught hers. The irrational disgust and hopelessness at finding out she and Emmett were together.

After thinking about everything the past few weeks, it'd only become clearer.

She'd been Rosalie's the whole time, she just hadn't known it.

She jerked back at the admission her mind let slip.

Jessica gawked at her for half a second. "You okay?"

They were _mates_. Finally, she could at least mentally say the word. She wasn't crazy. And it was never one-sided, which meant Rosalie felt the same way, felt it more intensely because she was a vampire, and she always had. _Rosalie fucking Hale._

Jessica and Mason eyed the stupid grin on Bella's face at the same time. They even shared a look, and when Jessica shrugged, Mason glanced at Bella again before writing on the board.

Bella had half a mind to actually answer Jessica's question.

Once the bell finally rang, Bella's face hurt a little and she still couldn't get the casual smile off her face. Jessica followed her all the way to her next class, pestering her.

She'd blown off Jessica all day, though she respected the girl's determination. Now if only she could completely dodge someone else. She'd thought about skipping, but she kind of needed her grades. Graduating next year and all. Also, fuck him. As if she'd summoned him with her thoughts, she felt an intense stare piercing her skull as she leafed through her textbook.

 _Pretend it isn't there and it might go away._

"Are you okay?" Edward settled into the chair next to her slowly, eyes still burning a hole in the side of her head.

"Because of something valid or because you want to tell me how wrong my feelings are?" He grimaced, but she was too caught up in the fact she actually said that to notice. It felt…liberating.

"I'm asking because of your face, because that is what a friend does."

Bella touched her cheek. It was still hot and red where the stray dodgeball got her last period. "There wasn't even a game anymore. Some shit was trying to nail his friend and missed."

He visibly relaxed, and his haughty tone left. "It seems you're a magnet for more than just me," he joked.

She almost rolled her eyes. Of course he wouldn't realize it'd fall flat. And to rob her of enjoying a morbid joke because he'd been an ass? "Hey, Edward?"

"Yes?"

She hated the way he turned more of his body toward her, but she finally looked at him. "You got me fucked up if you think we're friends."

His eyes darkened, the easy expression on his face vanishing. "I might be your only friend."

She raised her eyebrows.

The bell rang and he focused his attention on the front of the class like she had something to deeply think about. He reminded her of a petulant child, but she reveled in pretending he wasn't there for the rest of the period. Though, she had the sneaking suspicion she'd hate the moment class was over.

She was right.

"Everyone else is content to let you damn your soul, but I'm not. You still haven't answered my questions from last night. I—"

The bell rang.

"So, being with you saves my soul, right?"

He glared at someone who accidentally bumped into him while rushing out. "Don't put words in my mouth."

Banner launched into some ending points for the class for the weekend, hoping to get them into however many ears he could.

She turned more to him, leaned against her fist. "Okay, but do you really want to say more words? You've already been evicted from your family table for however long."

He flinched, but drew himself up quickly. "The cost of caring about you doesn't matter to me."

"Obviously."

"Bella, you desperately need to reevaluate your situation."

"Do you know what an apology is?"

A muscle in his face twitched. "I know you haven't given me one."

She forgot how to breathe for a moment and produced a strangled noise.

"I know it will be worth it in the end, though. I won't give up on you. What I feel—"

"You want to fucking eat me," she spat. She twisted the knife in his stupid, prude heart. "Not even in a fun way."

He paled, only barely noticeable to human eyes.

"Don't you dare romanticize it." She shoved her things into her backpack instead of properly putting it away and shot to her feet. "I figured you out. You think you can 'save' yourself through me."

He was on his feet in an instant, pushing his way through students to follow her out the door. "How dare you be so presumptuous."

" _Me_?" She looked over her shoulder at him in disbelief. She wasn't going to stop at her locker. She was just going to get to her truck, get in, and leave. Or hit him with it.

" _Yes._ You haven't even given me a chance."

"I think I've given you too many chances to just _talk_ to me."

"Hardly," he said, pushing through a throng of students she'd tried to slow him with. "You can't duck behind Alice and Rosalie and Esme forever. I can't believe you hide behind even Jasper to evade me."

"Sometimes I wish you could read my mind just so you'd fuck off." Getting out the doors, she cursed. Rosalie and Alice had driven her today. She started for the red BMW like it might barricade her away from him. Of course, only a handful of people had left the school already, so there were no other vampires to be seen and he easily followed on her heels, able to say whatever he wanted without fear of someone overhearing.

"God can forgive you, and so can I. I simply cannot believe this of you."

Bella scoffed. He said that as if he knew her or something. She set her backpack on the trunk of Rosalie's car and leaned against it. Crossing her arms, she opened her mouth.

"This isn't natural. Rosalie's deluded, trying to amuse herself with you and you're both too blind to see it. She's fooled everyone but me. It doesn't work on me." He was too busy frowning at something to compose himself to notice that her eye twitched.

"I honestly don't give a fuck about your religion, so don't shove that shit at me." She didn't blink at his scandalized expression. "The fact you've made my friendships about you astounds me. Someone needs to beat your ass. Seriously."

He looked pained. "You are so stubborn."

"That's one thing we share, I guess. What about this don't you understand?"

Edward threw up his hands. "All of it!"

She raised her eyebrows, clearly unimpressed.

He took a deep breath. Dragged a hand through his hair. "You cannot be serious in this delusion."

"You're really ruining your chances of friendship with me."

Dark eyes burned into hers, condensing the world to just them. They beckoned, whispering to her soul.

The lure of a vampire.

Yet she didn't care, didn't relax even a fraction like any other time he'd tried it. This time, though, she didn't tear her gaze away. Something unrecognized entered his eyes.

"Are you honestly, truly rejecting me?" he whispered. "Your humanity? Your soul? For _her_?"

Anger tensed her muscles. "If anything, you're rejecting me. If we have one more conversation like this, I'm done. I already feel bad enough Emmett's not around his family. I've been trying for the long-term and for Esme and Alice and—"

" _Excuse me_? Are you saying this isn't even about me?"

"None of it is! You just keep inserting yourself and slapping away my offered hand for friendship. I only have so much patience and I'm sure we could be cool, but you make me want to hate your entire existence."

He recoiled. Something like defeat made his shoulders sink, but his eyes held fire. He stopped breathing. "So you both believe you're mates."

"You're the goddamned mind reader, not me, you asshole. Even if you were right about Rosalie? Even then, Edward? I'd rather fuck a cactus than hold your damn hand." Surprisingly, she watched his eyes get shiny, even with that fire in them. Any sympathy and regret she could've felt shriveled up as soon as he focused his gaze on her again.

"Edward!"

He didn't blink at Alice's faint warning.

Bella looked past his shoulder for a second, seeing Alice burst out the doors, Jasper looking pained next to her. Rosalie, a little behind them.

"The irony doesn't escape me. Her rejection leads to mine. Fitting." His lip curled just a little. "You should thank me. If it wasn't for me, she wouldn't breathe her damned air, the murderer. She would've been left on the street to die like an animal not fit to make a trophy out of. She—"

Reddish black crossed Bella's vision for a wild heartbeat. The world felt _quiet_ and hot, like she was in Phoenix again, baking on her roof. She could've heard Alice shout Edward's name. She also could've imagined it. Edward's lips still moved, but she didn't hear him. Endless ringing echoed in her ears. Her hands found his jacket and she shook him, hating that it only happened because they were in public. Or maybe he was shocked, because something she'd never seen in him screamed in his wide eyes.

She couldn't begin to care.

" _You_ should thank her. Otherwise I'd fucking ruin you and cut myself open." Unadulterated horror took over his face, but she didn't even blink at it. "I could show you what a weak fuck you are. _I could ruin you_."

He moved suddenly, as if he'd meant to earlier but forgot how to use his arms. Grasping her wrists a little too tightly, he tried to pull her off. "How are you doing that? Stop! Isabella, please!"

Her vision flashed black. Still, the world was quiet, but now it started to spin. His grip felt hot.

He stepped back, she stepped with him. "Stop!"

"Bella, let go of him!"

Cold slowly entered her awareness as it seeped through the fabric on her shoulder. Vaguely, she processed Alice's voice, but it was overridden by Edward's, again pleading her to stop.

"Isabella."

Rosalie.

She inhaled deeply and sure enough, the smell of roses stuck out to her. Bella blinked rapidly, too disoriented to notice that Edward relaxed and stopped trying to pry her off. Her fingers hurt. She let go of him and stared down at her trembling hands. The cold left her shoulder. She heard Alice tell Edward to go home. Jasper said something quietly. But Alice's voice wasn't right. Bella frowned.

" _I'm_ the delusional one," Edward said so softly she hardly heard.

Was that regret?

Black replaced the world and she reached out blindly for a moment, finding support in Rosalie.

"Come on."

She nodded, but abandoned it when it worsened her dizziness. Rosalie led her to the backseat and she muttered something about her backpack.

"I know, I've got it."

Bella tried to focus on the headrest in front of her, tried to gain her bearings now that she didn't have to put effort into standing. Rosalie's voice didn't sound right either. And Edward had been…panicked?

Alice got into the front seat while Rosalie slid into the back.

Long fingers got in the way of the headrest and snapped. "What's your name?"

Stupid question. "Wrong."

Rosalie let out a tense chuckle. "Stay awake, okay?"

She offered a shaking thumbs up. The idea of talking felt like too much. Besides, they were moving.

Some part of her registered that had nothing to do with talking.

"Care to explain why you told him to go home? I don't think you support me tearing off his fucking legs and beating him with them." Rosalie rifled through Bella's backpack.

Alice didn't say anything.

Rosalie unscrewed the cap from Bella's water. "Can you drink this yourself?"

Bella grabbed it on the first try and took small sips. She couldn't look the vampire in the face, especially not since her world was only just calming down. She focused on the headrest.

"Alice?"

She sighed, speeding up as they got farther from the school and nearly running a red light. She tossed her phone back. "He just texted me."

Rosalie read the messages five times, only stopping to glance at Bella. "Are you still dizzy?"

She shook her head slowly, taking a larger sip of water. Well, maybe a little dizzy.

"Headache or migraine?"

She held up two fingers, only lightly shaking now.

Rosalie stared down at Alice's phone before looking at Bella, then Alice, then the phone again. She settled on Alice. "I don't even know what the fuck to say."

Bella covered her eyes. "I'm awake, right?"

"Yes. Why, what's wrong?" Rosalie touched her sleeve.

"You're cursing. It's weird."

A vague smile came to her lips, but Alice openly laughed a little. It seemed like some of the tension oozed out of the car in that moment.

"Bella," Alice started, her voice gentle, "were you trying to do anything in particular back there?"

Anger surged in her chest and she clenched her teeth a few times. It pained her, but the feeling cleared her mind a little, though she felt _tired_. "No. I just wanted to hurt him. A lot. The little shit."

"Well." Rosalie nudged the bottle to get Bella to drink more. "You got your wish."

"And more," Alice added. "I couldn't get a vision involving him. It was like a cropped picture or simply blacked out. Kind of like with the wolves."

Bella's brow furrowed and she uncovered her eyes, though she still avoided looking at Rosalie. "What?"

"Really?"

Alice nodded. "Really."

"Wait, what do you mean? I, I hurt him?" Bella covered her eyes again.

Something mixed between pride and amusement lurked in Rosalie's voice. "You know how you're a shield, as Edward can't read your mind?"

She nodded. Damn, her head hurt. She definitely did not want to be awake.

"Well, he says you made his mind silent."

Bella stared into the darkness created by her own hand.

" _I always wanted to be free of hearing anyone, at least for a little while. Now I know it's actually my personal hell,_ " Rosalie read from Alice's phone. " _I felt so alone, so empty. Drowning in a dead sea. Never have I felt so vulnerable._ "

Bella closed her eyes again. That couldn't be right.

"You almost passed out, didn't you?" Alice asked.

She nodded slowly.

"How many times do you remember?" Rosalie nudged the bottle again.

She thought, taking another sip and then draining the last of the bottle. "Twice? Before and after." She let Rosalie take the empty bottle. "I did that?"

"Yes. You scared me. Not as much as him, but still."

" _I_ was worried you'd actually attempt punching him and break your hand."

Bella almost smiled, but the anger simmering in her chest destroyed that. It grew as she recalled what happened and she tried to focus on the headrest again while peeking through her fingers. "I wanted to punch him. To feel his body break. I was so damn mad I couldn't."

When they stopped moving, it took Bella almost an entire minute to realize they were outside the Cullen house.

"Do you think you can walk?"

Bella got out slowly, not wanting to look at either vampire.

Esme swung open the door when they were halfway there. An uncharacteristic frown decorated her face as she ushered Bella inside and onto the couch. "You're warmer than usual," she observed.

"She cooled down." Rosalie's eyes swept across the house as if she could see through walls.

Alice bounced on the balls of her feet a little anxiously before sitting herself next to Bella.

"He prattled at me and left to hunt. He was even crying. Actually crying."

"I don't care."

"Me either," Esme said, studying Bella's eyes. "But I do think he's finally learned his lesson. A stuttered apology is something I didn't think him capable of. Jasper excused himself from the house. Bella, dear, how do you feel?"

"Pissed off," she muttered, staring at a section of the carpet between the vampires.

Alice took possession of Bella's hand and started stroking her arm.

Rosalie, however, still stood in the middle of the room, looking more than ready for a fight. "Did he tell you everything, or just his pity party?"

Darkened gold met the black of Rosalie's eyes. "I felt his face crack."

Rosalie blinked.

"He deserved it," Alice added. "Things will be…different after this. He better come back soon, I need to talk to him."

"He better come back soon, I need to kill him," Rosalie growled.

Esme rose from in front of Bella and squeezed Rosalie's arms, demanding her full attention. She didn't say anything until the blonde finally dragged her eyes up. "You were there. You heard their exchange. He was trying to attack her, not you, though of course it doesn't excuse what he said. We all know what Bella did is worse than anything you could do yourself. Rose, you are better than him and have better things to focus on."

Taking a slow breath, Rosalie nodded.

"Do you feel—" Esme saw that the young woman wasn't awake anymore. "—faint. Well. How long has she been asleep?"

"A little over a minute," Alice answered, still stroking Bella's arm even as she slept against her. The sight made Alice seem even smaller than she was.

"Poor thing."

Rosalie stepped forward. "I've got her."

As Alice disentangled herself from her best friend, she tried to catch Rosalie's eye. "Are you alright?"

She nodded.

Esme hovered even though they didn't need help. "I already found Bella to be impressive, but this…"

"Makes you wonder about her capabilities as a vampire," Rosalie finished. She lifted Bella gently, careful not to wake her, though she doubted even dropping Bella would wake her up. She met Esme's eyes. "Me too. She makes me proud."

Esme and Alice shared a startled look as Rosalie walked away at a casual pace, careful not to jostle the human in her arms.

If it was anyone else, she might've whacked their head on the railing of the stairs. But if it was anyone else, Rosalie Hale wouldn't be carrying them. No, they would've slept wherever they fell. That is, if she didn't dump water on them.

Being a vampire allowed her to open her door with ease. She set her charge down on her bed and removed Bella's shoes before going to close the door. Then she stood in the middle of her own room like a lost intruder. She wanted to be there when Bella woke up, of course. But she also didn't want to just watch her sleep. She definitely couldn't focus on anything right now, so she couldn't read or…anything. She also couldn't stand there the whole time.

Bella clutched at a pillow, burying her face deeper into it.

Unwanted, the image of Bella snuggled up against Alice that morning popped up. And then she'd fallen asleep against her on the couch. Meanwhile Rosalie felt out of place just standing there. If only she could relax the way Alice did, just be unguarded. She wanted to—she always had. It was rare with Emmett, and something new with Bella. She'd never admit it aloud, but it intimidated her.

Rosalie blurred out the room and retrieved Bella's discarded backpack and grabbed a fresh bottle of water for whenever she woke up. Halfway to the stairs, she paused at two sets of eyes on her from the living room.

"Relax, dear."

Alice shooed her with an affectionate smile. "Just do what comes natural to you."

Rosalie frowned. "She didn't look at me once."

"She might not have known how to," came Esme's motherly wisdom. "I recall you not looking at her for a while whenever you 'acted' like a vampire. And for what he said, well, I wouldn't be surprised."

Her brow furrowed, but she nodded.

A few seconds later, she was closing her door again and leaving Bella's backpack on the floor. She went around the bed to set the water bottle on the nightstand, her mind absently noting she should use a coaster. Rosalie wrestled with the sheets as gently as possible to get them from under Bella and to cover her. In the process, she had an idle thought about Bella's opinion on the dark red bedspread. Probably something along the lines of it inspiring her glares or perhaps even a bad vampire joke. Black eyes rolled.

Hunting crossed her mind for only a moment. She wasn't angry enough to actually be hungry, though she was still rather pissed, and she'd fed recently enough. Even then, she really didn't want to leave Bella. And Bella never seemed to care what color her eyes were. She leaned forward a little, brushing some of Bella's hair from her face. No, she definitely wasn't leaving.

But she still couldn't occupy herself with anything, either. She glanced around her room to double check.

Her eyes caught on something and she glanced back at Bella. This _was_ her mate. She smiled a little to herself. She never thought she'd see herself here.

Rosalie set an album on repeat, volume low. Bella had at some point mentioned to Alice needing to get a shirt for the band and unknowingly alerted Rosalie to their shared taste in music, at least in one genre.

After unzipping her boots, Rosalie carefully got on the other side of her bed. Settling, she folded her arms under her head and exhaled slowly, crossing her legs at the ankles and telling herself to relax.

It was a while before she decided to close her eyes instead of just blankly staring up at the ceiling. Whether she listened to Bella's heart and breathing or the music more, she couldn't be sure.

But she absolutely did feel content.

Strangely, she didn't feel vulnerable.

* * *

 **A/N:** Can you feel it coming? Because I can. (I also already wrote it, but that's irrelevant.) Anyway. Buckle your seatbelt for a feels trip next chapter. And I mean buckle up _tight_.

 **RR:** You hit the nail on the head with Edward. You have me gushing. I reread the fuck out of what I write and try to keep up consistent themes and show changes in dynamic through some of them, so the fact you feel the need to reread and even notice is a massive compliment. Not going to say anything about Charlie's reaction because spoilers.

 **Guest who screamed, "I'LL SEE YOU IN COURT, BITCH!":** You have my love. I am so serious.

 **Guest who sends screencaps to their friends:** You have literally made one of my dreams come true. I cried a little. I love you.

 **Coolyo:** Serenading Rose and getting a boombox is super close to how I was originally going to have them be official, wtf. Are you psychic? Because I hope you see it coming that now I _have_ to write a bundle of oneshots for Rose/Bella and I'm considering your review to be a damn request, my friend.


	18. Gravitational

**A/N:** Blah, blah, personal life, whatever. Btw, Esme "slapped the pretty out of Edward's face" is one of the best things I've read, ever, thank you for that comment.

So I debated the inclusion of Rosalie's story for more than a few nights, and I altered it some, or perhaps added some specifics, that are important to her character and family dynamics, also Bella. That said, vague **trigger warning** for mentions of rape and self-harm.

RR, I honestly feel his redemption started earlier, but I get you lol Crimson what? I tried looking and there were so many fics lol Ah, I know. We see the human gang's reactions in the form of changed dynamics instead of seeing their real-time reactions. I didn't feel like it fit into the story. And it's actually been like a month since Bella table-jumped. The week suspension and a little over two weeks passed in chapter 16. I think you'll be surprised by Jessica, however. And I appreciate you holding me to consistency and whatnot.

* * *

It was a lot darker when Bella opened her eyes.

As she slowly became more aware, she noticed some light peeking around the curtains, casting a blue tint to the room. Pretty.

She paused in the middle of closing her eyes again.

She didn't have curtains.

 _Everything_ smelled like roses.

Edward had horribly pissed her off, which awoke in her chest anew, but she tried to shove it aside to think. Apparently, she'd shut down his ability to read minds.

That explained why she felt like such shit.

Then sitting on the couch with Alice, who was like a godsend with her body temperature.

Now Rosalie's room?

She moved a little, feeling the softest sheets of all time on the bare skin of her arm.

Definitely Rosalie's room. Now that she thought about it, she could feel the blonde's presence behind her.

But then panic set in.

Where the fuck was her jacket?

She swallowed, trying to calm her heart. A bottle of water on the nightstand caught her attention and she exhaled slowly. But first, she shifted onto her stomach, keeping her left arm under the pillow and looking over the side of the bed. There it was. As she reached for it, she hesitated. Just the idea of pretending made part of her scream inside. She was too tired, too frustrated, too angry, too sad, too everything to deal with that.

Committing, her heart eased up, even as the result of the decision tried to send panic through her all over again.

An idle wonder of where Rosalie shopped for bedsheets drifted through her mind.

Bella rested her weight on her left arm and opened the bottle, taking a swig of water before setting it back down. Edward's words bit at her emotions, but she just propped herself up on both arms and finally looked at Rosalie.

For all purposes, the vampire looked asleep. The slow rise and fall of her chest combined with her relaxed face nearly sold the illusion.

"If I could do it, I would've joined you," she said softly without opening her eyes. "How did you sleep?"

"Like I was dead. Don't remember taking off my jacket."

"You shrugged it off a while ago."

Bella pulled her right arm from under the pillow and messed with her hair, staring at the space between them as Rosalie turned her head to look at her. "Did, uh." Her mind started short-circuiting as she fully processed being in bed with Rosalie Hale. "Did you, uh…Did…?"

"Yes, I'm the one who carried you."

"Thanks," she said awkwardly. She rested her head on her hand, her weight supported by her left arm under the pillow and right elbow atop it. Eventually, she bit her lip.

Rosalie waited, rolling onto her side and keeping an arm tucked under her head. Her eyes lingered on Bella's exposed skin. "You know, I've never seen you in just a short-sleeved shirt before."

She half-smiled, swallowing heavily. She was in no way ready for this conversation.

"Do you want me to adjust the curtains or turn on a lamp?"

"Uh, nah." She made a face, thinking about all the vampires in the house. The difference between privacy and courtesy. She sighed. "So, a lot to talk about."

"Not if you don't want to."

Bella scoffed. "That's unhealthy and you know it."

"Yes, well." Rosalie picked at imaginary lint on the sheet. "I'm not trying to push you."

A muffled chime escaped Bella's pocket.

"My guess is it's that girl that pestered you all day."

"Jessica," Bella supplied automatically.

"She seems very determined."

"She enjoys gossiping. Speaking of, you're such a bitch."

"It's my forte."

After a moment, Bella's smile shifted to a frown. "I don't feel like dealing with this right now, but I want to be comfortable at the same time. And I can't keep ignoring it or pretending it doesn't exist or whatever." Bella stared at nothing, unable to stand the way the small smile faded from Rosalie's face. She messed with her hair again. "It started with wanting to feel something at one point and mutated into enjoying it, I guess. I'm actually glad Edward said something in Biology, but the itch has been driving me crazy. It's been since July. Before that, a month or so."

Rosalie propped herself up on her elbow, concern etched into her features. Bella's refusal of her gaze didn't stop her from searching for eye contact.

Bella cleared her throat and pulled her left arm from under the pillow. She winced at the sound of Rosalie's breath catching. Cold fingers ran along lines on her skin. They weren't the traditional scars for that type. They passed for minor accidents and whatnot if anyone ever felt inclined to asking, though not a lot of people asked. That or they didn't care. The one Rosalie seemed stuck on? One of the largest ones, thin near the top of her wrist, curved down around her forearm to widen out. It'd been the last one.

Steeling herself, she dragged her gaze to Rosalie. Her heart twisted. In the casual light, she could see black eyes shining with tears that would never fall. She'd planned on just rolling through topics awkwardly. Best way to deal with bad moods was to lighten them. Now she couldn't. Now she didn't know how to beat away the heartache coming off of Rosalie. The lost, helpless expression so unnatural on Rosalie's face filled Bella with regret.

"I'm sorry."

The words stirred Rosalie. Her lips moved just before pursing. Then her hand slid up Bella's wrist to lace their fingers together.

Bella squeezed back.

"We _will_ talk about this." It was fierce, even as a whisper, and left no room for argument.

She sighed, letting her head fall from her hand to use her arm as a pillow. "I know. But I don't even know what there is to talk about. It happened, it doesn't anymore. I haven't felt the need to for a long time, maybe a year, maybe more, but I do miss the feel of it."

Rosalie's gaze drifted for a minute, jaw briefly clenching. Then, "Do you think it's possibly a reason for your insomnia getting worse?"

She blinked. "Maybe. Never thought about it. I know one thing, though."

Thoughtful black eyes focused on Bella.

"It breaks me to see you like that."

"And you, me," she said, glancing at a scar.

Bella bit her lip before the beginning of a reckless grin took over.

Rosalie blinked at the change, but she followed anyway. "What?"

"Edward told me a joke that you should've. So, I got hit with a stray dodgeball in gym—"

"In the face. Alice had a vision about it at lunch and we all laughed about it."

Bella's eyes narrowed. "I'm going to fight her."

There was a muffled yell from downstairs.

Rosalie chuckled, even if it was a little stiff.

"Anyway," Bella continued, "So, jokes aren't funny when told this way, so basically I'm a magnet for more than just you."

A small smile pulled at Rosalie's lips even as Bella's cheeks tinted red. Delighted that Bella didn't pull her hand away in her embarrassment, Rosalie settled down again, using her left arm as a pillow the same way Bella did. "Then tell me a joke in a funny way."

She made a face. "I know bad jokes, not funny ones."

"Excuses."

Bella hummed to herself as her gaze drifted, thoughtful.

"Tick tock."

Bella huffed. "I can't decide between these vampire jokes."

Black eyes rolled. "Well, pick one."

"I can't. My mind keeps _coffin_ them up."

Rosalie sighed the signature, pained sigh of the long-suffering.

"You asked for it."

"I'm realizing I'm a masochist."

Bella squeezed her hand before pulling away and sitting up.

"You can't have only just smelled the food Esme's cooking."

"No, no." She ran a hand through her hair.

Rosalie mirrored Bella, even crossing her legs the same.

"How long was I asleep?"

"A little over two hours."

"You can stop playing that album, you know."

The vampire set her elbow on her knee and rested her chin against her fist. "How conceited of you. Cold is a band I enjoy."

Her eyebrows shot up. She made a noise instead of producing words.

Rosalie's serious expression returned. "What did you want to say?"

Sighing, Bella rubbed her own arm a little, absently scratched at a scar. She still wasn't able to think about it all without anger wanting to surge to the front of her emotions. "I'm sorry."

A confused frown pulled at Rosalie's eyebrows.

Half of an awkward smile peeked out. "Of course I want to know everything about you, but I always wanted that to be on your terms. So, I'm sorry I know some things that you didn't feel like talking to me about yet."

Rosalie straightened. She looked away, clasped her hands in her lap. "You don't treat me any different."

"Why would I?"

"Bella, for one thing, 'murderer' is a word that at _least_ makes people hesitate."

"Oops." She shrugged a shoulder with a clear lack of regret.

Rosalie looked at her sharply, a soft look lurking in her eyes. "You're the most defective human to exist."

"Even if you did, I'm sure you had a good reason."

Rosalie tilted her head, listening.

"What is it?"

"Alice is leaving. Esme is as soon as she sets aside a plate for you in a minute."

"That's really considerate, actually. A little worrying, but still considerate."

She looked at Bella. "Worrying?"

"I didn't think you'd elaborate."

"Why not?"

Bella reached out and squeezed Rosalie's wrist, just for a moment. She cleared her throat. "I don't want you to talk to me about things because of Edward."

"I'm not." Her eyes focused elsewhere. "I'm talking to you. I apologize in advance."

"Why?"

* * *

Rosalie leaned against the railing on the porch, staring down into a glass. She swirled its contents. Not even the ice rocking around in the soda made it cold to her. If anything, her fingers were cooling it further. The bubbles, the carbonation, the slowly melting ice. They'd been her focus for a few minutes. She'd never had this habit as a human. Not that she really minded it.

She swirled the soda around again.

It'd been a little over ten minutes since Bella finished eating, but she hadn't come outside yet. Not a surprise from her mate, though. Of course Bella took her seriously when she said to take a moment to herself first. In that time, Rosalie got to think about whether or not she really wanted to follow through with this. Any time she'd actually talked about it, she'd glossed over it with almost disturbing indifference in less than four sentences. Just facts.

But it wasn't just facts.

It still taunted her sometimes. Maybe not summarizing like she had for Alice and Jasper and Emmett would make it different.

She studied a particular ice cube.

Bella came out, heart thudding a little too fast. But all the same, she stood near Rosalie's right side and ran her hand along the railing as if to prepare herself. Or maybe she was just admiring the smooth feel of it.

Rosalie didn't look at her. She noted the small distance between them. Bella gave her space, but could still reach her.

"You sure?"

"Did you know Alice is older than me?"

"Really?"

"She likes to brag about it, especially when I make fun of her height."

Bella's laugh was subdued, no doubt because of the somber air radiating off Rosalie.

"I was eighteen when I became a vampire. I was seventeen when I stumbled onto the path leading to that."

"You really don't have to tell me."

"I…want to." It was true. Things she kept locked away clamored to the surface and loathing threatened to seize her, but it still proved true. "We were wealthy even through the Depression solely because my father was a very precise man who worked at a bank. So I was terribly confused when my mother told me he forgot his lunch and I needed to go drop it off. But I always did what I was told, so I didn't question it. I just left."

" _Jesus_."

Why the horrified tone? This was by far the lightest part of all she had to say. Rosalie's brow furrowed a little as she looked at wide, brown eyes. "What?"

"Were you fucking sick or something?"

It took a few seconds for Rosalie to laugh, if a little darkly. She shifted the glass to her left hand so she could swat Bella's arm. "Shut up."

Bella held up her hands, then pretended to zip her mouth.

Recalling everything didn't feel as suffocating as it usually did. Still, it felt too clear, too close, but she could breathe. She swirled the contents of her glass again. "I meant to prelude this with the knowledge that Edward has killed more people than I have."

Bella rolled her eyes. "What did he write it off with, the hand of God or something? Because how the fuck could he do that and call _you_ a murderer?"

"Mm, this is why I mention it, so that you understand. He fed on humans to make society better. Listening for impure thoughts, Edward Anthony Masen hunted murderers and rapists in the night. And those who considered it, I bet."

"Yikes. Suddenly, I feel better about my name."

"You are wildly inappropriate." _And comforting._

Bella shrugged.

"Anyway, about a week later, there's a knock at the door. My mother calls me downstairs, yelling for me to hurry, because of a delivery for sixty roses—"

"I would probably never get you roses unless I wanted to piss you off or make you want to punch me."

"Why? And you are _horrible_ at listening. Zero listening skills, I don't know what Alice is talking about." She didn't mean it, and judging from the lopsided grin she was getting, Bella knew that.

"It's too easy because of your name. Personally, I'd get pissed off about it and I bet you do too."

"Smart. Though I admit they can be rather pretty. I also admit I originally found the display to be quite romantic. There was a note saying he couldn't stop thinking about me and would be by to plead me if I declined him. Reading the signature, I understood my mother's excitement."

"Most eligible bachelor in town or your crush?"

Rosalie poured out the soda, idly holding the glass. "The former actually. I never really had a 'crush.' I was in love with love and tried to be in love with the same vanity I hated myself for, so I didn't have room in my heart for it. Everything was artificial. Royce King II. My parents hoped he'd notice me when I dropped off my father's lunch, and it worked. Royce's father owned the bank, so while he wasn't overly handsome, girls still fought for his attention. But he never knew a girl's name for more than a week."

Bella scoffed. "Of course."

"He'd been more charming than my other suitors, and I can't help but look back at it with an intense sense of irony now as a predator. Time passed, he didn't grow bored of me. Only one of my friends hadn't gone bitter toward me in jealousy, but I couldn't understand why she seemed tentative in her happiness for me. My parents had built my life for this, so why wasn't Vera as excited as I was? A husband to kiss me when he came home, a child to raise. It was nearly in my grasp."

Rosalie lightly tapped the bottom of the glass against the rail with a sigh. "Vera and I hadn't seen each other much because of her pregnancy. My birthday came around and Royce was still there. His favorite joke was that he should've sent me violets the first time to match my eyes. I hated it because my eyes were lighter."

Bella shifted, responding to the tension seeping into the vampire.

"Are you alright?"

"I was about to ask you that, Rosalie."

"I'm fine."

Bella crossed her arms on the rail, eyeing Rosalie even though she wouldn't look up from the glass cradled in her hands.

"As I came to being around him more, I started an argument for the first time in my life. I didn't like his drinking, and I didn't like how he acted when he even smelled alcohol. It wasn't something I could sit quietly for. One argument turned into many. I had been known for dismissing suitors, and I was considering becoming a pariah for dismissing Royce King II. But what about my parents' status? My father's job? But I couldn't stop thinking about how Vera's husband kissed her. How she smiled. They loved each other. No one had ever loved me, and that realization crushed me, punched holes in my vanity. But then Royce's charm came back and he proposed, promising me he'd change."

In the silence, Bella stared off toward the long driveway. Emotion rolled off of the vampire like smoke from a fire, thick and unforgiving. And in Bella's own chest, pain twisted her heart.

Rosalie was sharing with her, yes, but this moment didn't belong to her. At all.

"On the last night of my human life, I learned you can yell until you can't anymore, and no one will look out the window. I learned you can die close to home."

Bella choked on a breath, pressing a hand to her mouth as tears pricked at her eyes.

Rosalie didn't notice. Rochester loomed in her memories. She saw the streetlight that, regardless of how many times someone fixed it, always flickered. The slightly polluted air of that night filled her nose, then too much of a heavy cologne. Drunken laughter echoed in her ears.

"I'd finally gotten around to visiting Vera and her son. Before, I thought I could learn to like Royce's mouth. I could learn to love him. I would decorate my house. I would love my child. But standing there, holding Thomas in my arms and seeing Vera's happiness? I knew I didn't want a child with Royce. And, god, I didn't even want someone to love me because who was I? Who was Rosalie Hale except a vain girl who dreamed of love and a child like they would save her life? Who wanted it so badly she'd even take it with an arrogant alcoholic? I was as shaken and scared as I was excited and determined, even in the decision I'd come to. My little brother thought I could do no wrong. My father was a smart man with many friends, he'd figure something out for us. My mother would understand.

I was beautiful.

I was three blocks from home.

Royce was drunk."

"Fuck," Bella whispered into her hand.

Rosalie swallowed back venom. "I didn't want to hear whatever he had to say and I definitely didn't want to be around his friends. I'd seen them all stare at me before, now I saw them stare drunk. I wanted to be home. Royce caught my arm. It hurt, but he wasn't listening. He was saying I was his fiancée. I was too beautiful to be in a rush. I pulled away and walked when I should've run, but my pride wouldn't let me do that and I don't know what it would've done anyway. He grabbed me again, saying he wanted to see how beautiful I really was.

His friends agreed.

He ripped off my coat and shoved me into Christian."

The glass shattered in Rosalie's grip.

"No one came when I screamed. During his second turn, he made me look him in the eyes and said,

'Don't you love me?'

It made me struggle harder.

It made him angry.

Instead of hitting to make me stop fighting, it turned into a game. The pavement had practically skinned me. So much throbbed and bled, but it didn't compare to the feeling of my forearm giving way under Christian's boot. I screamed, they laughed. Then all I could feel was breaking. I waited and I hoped for _nothing_."

Rosalie's fingers flexed absently, some remaining glass falling from her hand. "I wheezed blood alone in the street on a cold night in Rochester. The difference between my broken body and my soul was nonexistent. Anything I'd ever dreamed of, everything I could've been, it all slipped away from me with each second. I'd never smile the way Vera did. I'd never just feel _content_. My wants and desires became singular. I wanted there to be neither heaven nor hell. I wanted to never be anything again so maybe I wouldn't still feel them inside of me. I wanted death.

If I could've screamed again, I would've, but out of anger. Why did I persist? Why did some small part of me refuse to die? There was nothing left for me. There was nothing left of me."

A laugh tore out of Rosalie. "I was wrong. Someone walked into my vision and in that moment, everything in me mutated to hate. How dare they come along now instead of when I needed them. I wanted to scream at him to keep walking, but he knelt down. He flashed a light in my eye and I wanted to spit at the vague curiosity on his face. Before Carlisle bit me, he said,

'I for once hope the process causes memory loss.'

Any pain I'd felt before didn't compare. I couldn't feel him carrying me, I could only feel venom racing through me. Screaming filled the air before I realized it was me. I got my wish. The venom made me feel like I was on fire, but on the inside, slow and travelling. It burned away the feeling of them and broken bones. It burned away everything."

"Three days later, I was on my feet the same second I opened my eyes. Everything was different. _I_ was different. Carlisle tried to calm me down and Edward looked disgusted, but I didn't care. Only one thing mattered to me. I ran, trying to adjust to my body in the process. I wanted to tear the throat out of everyone, to make the burning in my own throat stop. But I didn't care about that either. Just hatred. Everything of me was hate. When I got hold of a newspaper, I almost screamed. Royce grieved for me alongside my parents, swearing to kill the man who'd taken me in the middle of the night.

The door of my house came off the hinges when I opened it. My mind worked perfectly, free of the chains of humanity, so I'd had half a plan by then, even with the focus of hatred, even with the thirst. I grabbed what would've been my wedding dress. My reflection caught my attention.

I was what everyone had always pushed me to be.

I was beautiful, more so than I could've ever dreamed of.

My eyes were red.

I broke every mirror in the house before I left.

By the time I got back to Carlisle's, the thirst was crippling. I brushed off Edward yelling at Carlisle about me because I was too busy making a decision. Then Esme appeared out of nowhere with a gallon of blood. I almost attacked her for it. She argued with them both. I hardly cared, but in the back of my mind, past the hate, past the hunger loosening its grip, I recognized the understanding in her eyes when she looked at me."

"I stalked three of them for a week. They went from confident bastards to jumping at shadows, begging Christian and Royce to listen to them. Of course they didn't. I went to Christian first. He had a fear of heights, so I let him think he could run, cornering him on the roof of his apartment building in the dark of night. He promised me everything he could. And then he screamed for seven stories. A month went by, and I'd saved Royce for last so he knew I was coming. I used to be rather theatrical back then," she said with a smile twisting her lips.

"Royce's alcoholism had gotten out of control, but I know he still had nightmares of me. Four guards were with him night and day. He didn't leave his apartment anymore. He could hear the guards trying to survive me. I kicked down his door in my dress.

I smiled.

He pissed himself.

He tried to shoot me, I broke his fingers. When he demanded to know what I was, I laughed. I was the monster he created, didn't he know that? He took everything from me. He kept begging and pleading, which I had grown used to, but him saying my name made my control slip. I tore out his tongue. Now, I'd kept a level head, mostly avoided making them bleed or at least wasn't nearby when it happened, in the case of Christian. As a newborn, I should've drained Royce dry. But I didn't want anything of him in me and I held him down the way he'd done me. I made him look at me as I pressed my hand against his ribcage. I felt him break. He screamed the best he could, but I was too furious to enjoy it. I wanted to make him feel like I had but he would die first. For a second, whether it was the fear or just me or the lure of a vampire, he almost seemed serene when I touched his face. 'Don't you love me?' I asked him, and I watched him die inside. Then I crushed his jaw. There was one long, mutilated screech as I ripped his arm out the socket and flung him through the window.

His heart stopped, but the hate in mine didn't."

Bella crashed into Rosalie, arms locking tightly around her neck. She didn't say anything. She just breathed irregularly against cold skin.

Rosalie blinked. She tried to recover. Failed. This close, she could feel Bella's heart beating. She realized, while committing the feeling to memory, that Bella had been silently crying. A lot. She didn't have a reason to do that other than not being distracting. Everything collided with the emotions recalling her past so vividly brought up and even without that, Rosalie Hale honestly was not very good at this. Alice said to do what came naturally and she didn't have much to lose, so she did. "I would endure all of it again just to know you." She swallowed unnecessarily, hating the empty tone of her voice. "The question of why I stayed alive long enough for Carlisle to find me has followed me every day since. You gave me the answer."

"Hug me back or I'll fucking fight you, Hale."

Her arms loosely encircled Bella's waist as she stared off toward the trees. She focused on the feel of Bella breathing against her neck to try grounding herself.

After a few minutes, during which Rosalie never adjusted her hold, Bella tried to have a light tone. "Miss Rosalie Hale, are you being awkward?"

If she could blush, her face would've been red. She got the urge to throw Bella off the porch, but she wasn't a vampire. The thought made Rosalie clench her jaw. "Bella, this—"

"I'm not stupid. I've thought about it a lot with the time you gave me—thanks, by the way—and I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact you could view me in such a way. You're perfect and—"

"Putting aside vampirism, I'm a rape victim who is also a murderer and a total bitch. 'Perfect' doesn't apply to me."

"You're a lot of things, but you're not a victim, and murder is the unnecessary taking of life, which isn't what you did. Now if you _really_ wanna go commit a crime…"

"Are you actually suggesting we murder someone?" She looked down at the top of Bella's head with a raised eyebrow. "What am I going to do with you?"

"A few crimes, probably. And get sidetracked in conversation. So, like I was saying, I do and don't comprehend that you could…" She cleared her throat, pulling away enough to look at her. "Like, you're sure you didn't get a vampire-concussion or something?"

"Hmm, maybe I'm actually having a vampire-nightmare."

Bella rolled her eyes.

"In which case, I hope I never wake."

She made a choked noise before looking away sharply, pretending her cheeks weren't flushing.

Rosalie laughed, but then she grew serious again. "This would mean…Bella, you can only be human once. You can only live your life once."

"That's boring as shit." She raised an eyebrow, partially looking at Rosalie again. "You'd go through actual hell for me, and I consider the hell of a few days of becoming a vampire to be a rather small one, so I don't know why you seem really uncertain and shit about this. Especially when you're the vampire."

Rosalie's gaze drifted. "I already made that choice for someone and I hate myself for it."

She didn't have to say his name for Bella to put it together. Bella bit her lip. "So, no vampire-concussion?"

Black eyes blinked at the shift in conversation. "No."

"And you're sure that you're not blind?"

"Quite."

"But all I do is get human stains on anything you remotely care about and, like. I'm…me."

"And I'm a bitchy vampire. What's your point?"

"The same one you have," Bella fired back.

"You make me feel alive."

The whispered words softened Bella's glare. "I don't think you realize that you do the same for me."

Rosalie's arms finally tightened around her, pulling her close again and looking over her head. "I'm horrible at this."

"Gasp! Is that a _flaw_ that you're admitting to?" She grinned as black eyes narrowed at her.

"Shut up. As I was saying, before I was so rudely interrupted, this isn't the pace I wanted." Rosalie looked down at their proximity to accent her point.

"Sooo. Let go."

"You're the one that told me to hug you. Make up your mind."

Bella raised an eyebrow and released Rosalie, opting to instead rest her hands on the vampire's arms. She pushed lightly as a test. "Mm, yeah. Like five minutes ago. And this is not a friend-type hug. And last I checked, I was still single. I don't know who you take me for, but I am severely offended."

She glared even though Bella's faint blush made her want to smile. Honestly, how could a human even do this to her?

"Rosalie?"

She sighed tiredly at Bella's tone. "What?"

"Fuck you for being taller than me."

A perfect eyebrow arched.

"Like, seriously. You're lucky I considered making an exception."

"Oh? You prefer shorter women?"

Bella rolled her eyes and studied something behind Rosalie. "Would you feel better if I thought about it more?"

"Yes."

"Well that's shitty because why would I not want forever with you?" Bella's eye twitched. "Wow, I said that. I fucking said that. Excuse me, I suddenly have to go anywhere else this very second for no particular reason."

Rosalie's hold didn't waver when Bella tried to flee.

Brown eyes glanced back at the road leading to freedom and a place where maybe her heart didn't sound so _loud_. "Uh, if you could just, like, let go, that'd be great. I'm busy trying to go dig a hole and then die in it."

"Isabella."

She swallowed hard. "Pacing, remember?"

"I think I ruined it, to be perfectly honest with you." Still, she let go.

Bella crossed her arms, moving back enough to lean against the rail. "You're _sure_ you don't have a vampire-concussion?"

"Why is that hard to believe?"

"I don't know, _Venus_."

The nickname was used for emphasis, for illustrating the impossibility of her being able to love Bella. But loving Bella was the only reality for her. "You remember what I said about mates?"

"Yeah?"

"My answer before you was that it's bullshit. Why do you have an obsession with me having a concussion?"

She shrugged lightly and looked around without purpose. "I wasn't able to kill my feelings for you like I usually can, or at least trick myself into it, and I never felt anything like this. It depressed me a lot, especially after seeing you with Emmett. Then I swung between hope and denial, and back again. Then a lot of denial. Because how could you ever? Then I felt crazy thanks to Alice and Esme. And then crazier. And then fucking Edward had a stick up his ass about it, so it had to be true, right? And then that shit Jessica told me you said to whatshisname." Bella laughed.

Rosalie smiled a little.

"So, I've moved onto thinking _you're_ the crazy one. What's your obsession with me thinking about it? Aren't we…" Her heart jumped into her throat. Apparently she could think the word, but saying it was too much. "You act like I can choose something other than you."

"You can." At Bella's expression of disbelief, she continued. "Vampires are ruined the moment they lock eyes with their mate. They don't even have to talk about it. We descend deeper with every encounter and exchange. We can't escape it. If we try, or if we're away from each other too long, it drains us. Physically, mentally, emotionally. You're human still. You could graduate and go wherever you wanted, do what you wanted, be with who you wanted. You would love them. There would always be something amiss to you in the back of your mind, but you could do it."

Bella blinked at the vampire's composure. A façade, she knew. If anything, it only indicated Rosalie's distress. She shook her head a little, focusing. "I'd have to lose my memory and never see you again to be able to do that. Even then, I'd find you."

"You wouldn't. You're human."

"Life is pointless."

Rosalie actually looked a little taken aback.

"Believing that and being depressed?" Bella brushed her knuckles across her chin, a cynical smile twisting her lips. "I never understood why I didn't kill myself, if for no better reason than, what was the point? There wasn't one, and my life had been lived a thousand times over. And damn, I never wanted anything, ever. And any feelings I had for a girl felt almost artificial and I was so damn annoyed because I didn't want to be with some girl. I knew I wanted a woman, and to love her. I was fourteen. I was _supposed_ to want to have fun and play games, right? I thought I was broken." Bella stopped to laugh a little and roll her shoulders. "After being a _horrible_ girlfriend to my friend for like a year, I was pretty sure of it."

With more than a few things to say and ask, but unsure of which to pursue first, Rosalie could only frown.

"Moving to Forks felt right, even with the surrounding factors. Like I was going in the right direction. I wandered a lot when I got here, but I didn't really take in the sights. I was looking for something without knowing what." Bella looked at her, serious. "I locked eyes with you in a crowded cafeteria and my world changed, even if I wasn't ready to accept it then."

Rosalie looked away, not knowing what to do with her emotions. "I could say that exact sentence."

Bella's phone rang.

"Alice," they both said.

She answered, stretching. "Yo."

" _Uhm. Try again._ "

Rosalie snorted and moved to lean against the rail, just inches from Bella.

"Hello, super best friend. The anticipated sound of your voice lightens the burden in my heart at your absence."

" _That's better._ "

"A little much, no?" Rosalie quipped.

Bella pushed Rosalie, who refused to budge.

" _No, Rose. Anyway, Charlie's going to be home in half an hour._ "

"Shit, I forgot today was 'dinner' and a movie."

" _Yes, well, as we all know, I'm his preferred daughter-in-law so of course I have to remember._ "

In unison, Rosalie and Bella sighed heavily.

Alice continued like it hadn't happened. " _So, go grab a pizza and I'll meet you there._ "

"I don't know if you remember, but I don't have my truck, Alice."

" _I don't know if you remember, but you have Rosalie, Bella. We can surprise Charlie._ "

"Surprises are usually pleasant."

Rosalie held a hand to her chest as if offended. "I _am_ pleasant."

"As pleasant as roadkill."

" _See you at your funeral._ " Alice hung up.

Bella stared forward at the house and fought away a grin as she edged away from Rosalie. No doubt the blonde had a hostile look on her face. Fingers on the doorknob, Bella could almost entertain the idea of escape. She shut the door behind her. Excitement screamed in her chest. If they were playing a fair game, maybe she could swipe Rosalie's keys, grab her stuff and get out the window at the end of the hall. What if the vampire just waited at her car, though?

As she closed in on the stairs, the front door burst open.

Bella didn't look back.

She altered direction, breaking into a run, and jumped over a coffee table. A quiet part of her mind noted Esme probably would've had a fit if she'd hit anything off of it. Skidding into the kitchen, she nearly crashed her hip into the island counter. A flash of blonde in her peripherals, near the coffee table.

So much for her plan. But maybe Rosalie would play fair.

Probably not since she could barely hear the vampire's footsteps.

Thankfully, Esme left the glass door open when she'd given them privacy. Bella bounded out of it, turning right so sharply she slipped a little. She ran. There wasn't time to contemplate the semi-long working table in the way with some tools on it. She could leap onto it and over the chair on the other side and run off around the house. And then…something.

The table rocked under her feet, but it was momentary as she continued. Midair, her execution flawless, she shrieked as cold arms wrapped around her.

They spun around a little and Bella laughed wildly before she even felt the ground under her feet again. She couldn't bring herself to glare as she looked up into the smiling face of Rosalie Hale. Her insides twisted at the sight. "You cheated!"

"No, I'm a vampire, you silly human."

Bella pushed against her, not really trying to escape her grip. "Whatever. You cheated in the end and you know it." She looked away from Rosalie's smile, trying to fight away her own as she regulated her breathing. That was when she noticed the sound just quieter than her heartbeat. Holding her breath for a moment, she of course felt her own heartbeat. And Rosalie vibrating. "Are…" Bella raised her eyebrows, looking back at her. "Are you purring?"

It stopped and Rosalie's face went blank in an instant, her eyes not quite meeting Bella's. "No. Why?"

A strange as hell concept occurred to Bella. She was looking at Rosalie Hale _blush_.

"We should go."

She let go, moving to step back, but Bella caught her wrist. "Rose."

Black snapped to brown.

Bella knew immediately that nothing existed to Rosalie except her. She swallowed, deciding against her original thought. Yet something dangerously close to it spilled from her mouth. "You're exhilarating."

Rosalie stared at her. "You're my favorite nightmare."

* * *

 **A/N:** [SCREAMING]

NEW AESTHETICS: ROSALIE CHASING/"HUNTING" BELLA. ROSE AND BELLA INDIRECTLY SAYING "I LOVE YOU."

Ahem. So, I've officially taken up my Tumblr again. (Guess the name.) It's basically me putting on a Captain Hat because the ship has like no content on that site. Drabbles and scenarios and random babbles about Black Star and small AUs and shit. (And some original stuff and fandom and my obsession with Miranda Lawson.) So if you need a Rose/Bella fix, chances are I do too and we can get that fix together because I say a lot of shit in tags about them in even seemingly random posts. Come chat and send a prompt or validate my Rose/Bella shitposting or tell me to stop or something.

How did I turn into Rose/Bella trash?

(I hope you love the next chapter as much as I do, because if this one made you react at the end, oh boy.)

 **Some Person:** Sorry! I was just far too tired yesterday and recovering from vacation and my previously packed schedule. And thank you for your concern :) Leave me a name so I can write a oneshot or something and dedicate it to you.


	19. Resonance

**A/N:** Behemoth chapter as promised. (Sorry.) Got a shoutout from xPaige Turnerx (who I've been reading for like, ever, so you probs should too.) and decided to do the final edit of this and here we are. I've gone through the mechanics of some scenes several times and this is what we're going with. I don't care anymore. Just let me have this pls.

It's five am and so if I owe you a PM, it's coming after I wake up. I warn you again, this chapter is a doozy, but trust me. I can already see RR squinting at me. (Btw, read Crimson in one sitting.) And ah! Glad you caught the pet rock joke.

That should be everything. RR squinting at me...TeganCappa, boxofwine, and YurTeddybear are probably going to have a fit at the end lol God I hope I delivered.

OH. TeganCappa, I told Rosalie you said she was wrong, like you said to, but, well...

Recieved an error about uploading this and it seems alerts are not being sent. I have contacted Support already, but the chapter is no longer phasing out of existence or merging with 18. This would happen for such an important chapter sigh

* * *

As promised, Alice had appeared at the door next to them, her hair extra wild from running. She'd also taken the pizza out of Bella's hands and waltzed into the Swan home like it was her own and informed Charlie that _she_ brought him the pizza because they'd all ate already thanks to Esme. Rosalie had to resist scoffing at the display, completed by Charlie insisting she use his name and smiling at her. Meanwhile, he didn't seem put off by Rosalie also being there, but he didn't correct her when she said "Mr. Swan" either. Bella seemed torn between amused and horrified by it all.

Now, Rosalie sat on one end of the couch as the movie played because Alice had all but shoved her out the way to sit close to Bella. Charlie relaxed in his recliner off to the right of them, content with his pizza and beer, oblivious to the annoyed scowl on her face for the past ten minutes. She crossed her arms and sunk a little deeper into the couch. Why Alice insisted she come to this escaped Rosalie as completely as the game she played at. She watched the stereotypical montage of duffel bags and weapons and money and whatnot.

"You two weren't going to get within a foot of each other because you don't know how to relax. You were just going to sit there like an awkward statue," Alice whispered quickly.

"I know how to relax just fine," she almost hissed. "I'm sorry I'm not all over her."

Alice stretched to cover up an aggravated noise. "Not only are you guys in some weird grey area, but you're still _friends_ , you know."

Rosalie clenched her jaw for a second as Bella glanced at them. She wouldn't be able to hear them, but she most likely noticed that something was off. So painfully observant. "She's not exactly the touchy-feely type." Rosalie watched Alice forget to breathe for a few moments. The small vampire probably wanted to shake her.

"Like how you're not exactly the caring type _or_ the touchy-feely type?" She paused during a quiet scene. "I love you, but you're an idiot."

Rosalie growled faintly while someone screamed on screen.

Alice smiled at Bella when she looked at them again, then focused on the movie again. After a minute, she carried on their private conversation. "Haven't you noticed she lets people lead when it comes to that? If she actually likes you and doesn't hiss and bite when you get close because you're annoying, she goes off what you do to judge what's okay for her to do herself. Like levels, I guess."

Uncrossing her arms a little, Rosalie thought about it. Angela and Bella hugged a couple times a week. Otherwise, they didn't physically interact much beyond that. She'd actually hugged Mike once herself, but they mostly did fist-bumps and occasionally she'd let him throw an arm over her shoulder, even if it was for all of three seconds. Then there was that one girl whose name Rosalie could never retain. After seeing a very cross Bella be dragged—sometimes literally—by the hand by Alice, she'd tried to hold Bella's hand herself. Bella had shoved her hands so deep in her pockets it was almost comical.

"You just need to relax. Look, I'll prove it to you. You literally can't go wrong."

"You're her best friend, she doesn't think anything about what you do."

"You're her mate, she doesn't think anything about what you do. I know you're still freaking out—"

Rosalie Hale did no such thing. Ever.

"—but just try following my lead, maybe? If you don't, I'll just have to have fun, then."

Before Rosalie could fix a warning glare on her, Alice faked a yawn.

Bella squinted at her while Charlie yawned.

"What are you doing?" Rosalie hissed.

Alice moved, lying down so that her head rested in Bella's lap and she had to cross her legs over Rosalie's.

Rosalie did her best to wipe the disbelief off her face. She got the feeling it didn't entirely work.

Bella, however, gave Alice an open _what the fuck_ look that she managed to twist into a smile by the time Charlie raised an eyebrow at them.

"Long day?"

"Kind of." Alice faked another yawn. "I really wanted to do this, though. I just _know_ Bella's always going to be here for me. I treasure it with my whole heart and you're her dad, so—"

Bella flipped the pillow next to her onto Alice's face and pressed on it while she made an indignant noise and swatted blindly at her attacker. "Go to sleep, then."

"Bella!"

Under Charlie's glare, she reluctantly lifted the pillow and looked down at Alice with a sigh. "Are you comfy?"

The three of them knew the real question was, "Are you done making Charlie think we're a thing?" and honestly, Rosalie felt Alice was terrifyingly far from done with her plans.

Alice wiggled and scooted a little more of herself onto Bella's lap and hummed. She tucked an arm under her head and started watching the movie again.

Bella relaxed, adjusting herself to her new position. Then she adjusted again. And again. She gave up, pulling on Alice's shoulder a little to make her sit up some. After scooting herself down and sinking a bit awkwardly into the couch, she pushed Alice back down. It allowed her to rest more on Bella's midsection rather than unevenly across her legs. "Better?"

Alice beamed at her before turning to the movie again.

After a few minutes, Bella stopped doing awkward things with her arms and just threw her left one over Alice while her right hand wandered into spiky hair.

Rosalie was a little stunned. Sure, things left Bella generally unfazed, but this was a little much for barely more than three months of friendship. Especially considering Bella's low tolerance for contact and human interaction. She smiled to herself. _Human_ interaction was exactly the thing. Vampires? Just fine, apparently. Bella hadn't even looked at her during it all, not for approval or out of concern, or anything. It was just natural. And Rosalie was positive they'd never been in a position remotely similar before.

She was also positive she didn't want to kill Alice over it. If she was being honest, she only felt a little jealous, though interest overshadowed it. Bella's only problem with it all seemed to be Charlie. And Alice looked utterly content.

A little while later, during a dramatic scene when the protagonist almost died, Charlie got up to take his plate to the kitchen. On his way back, he glanced at Rosalie and the two of them and back at her again.

She shrugged a shoulder, a faint smile on her lips. She looked at them herself.

Bella must've felt it because she met her eyes and smiled.

Rosalie returned it out of a reflex she didn't know she had.

She studied them even after Bella turned back to the movie. At this point, Bella shivered for the first time, violently. She must've been suppressing them for a while. Alice tried to sit up, but Bella pressed down against her, so she stayed. Bella had gone out of her way to make Alice comfortable, when she was a vampire who could recline on rocks without an issue. She subjected herself to being uncomfortably cold just to be how Alice had wanted. If Charlie wasn't around, they could've gotten a blanket or something without it looking odd, and Bella had to know that, but she didn't care. She also didn't care that Alice was an old vampire who didn't need protecting. She'd get into fights for her.

Alice deserved it. Yes, she had family and Rosalie was her best friend and she had her mate, but Bella was different. She'd changed Alice in some way.

She'd changed Esme.

She'd even changed Jasper.

She was in the process of changing Edward, and that was quite the undertaking.

Being Rosalie's mate aside, she fit into their family as if she'd always been there, as if she completed it. Now only one thing was missing, and Rosalie was certain they would've been great friends under different circumstances. She sighed, missing her own childish best friend.

A pillow bounced off Rosalie. She blinked at it before looking at Bella, who had an obvious question in her eyes.

Damn, she loved this human.

Bella didn't seem entirely reassured by her small smile.

Just then, Alice started stroking the arm Bella had over her in a lazy pattern with an almost familiar intimacy. She subtly flipped off Rosalie.

She pinched Alice's leg hard enough to make her squeak.

Bella tuned in for this and began watching them more than the movie, biting her lip to fight a smile.

Alice kicked Rosalie in the ribs as casually as possible.

The blonde elbowed her shin.

Before Alice could retaliate, Charlie spoke up. "Excited for graduation, Rosalie?"

Odd. He should've chosen Alice over her.

"I am," Alice piped up. "Then I can have Bella all to myself. I just hate sharing."

Rosalie nearly forgot their human company. Nearly. She saw Bella pull Alice's hair even though she maintained a neutral expression.

Charlie meanwhile, looked genuinely interested in her answer.

She cleared her throat. "I suppose so."

"You suppose?" He scratched at his mustache. "Any colleges catch your eye?"

Now brown eyes were on her. "Well," Rosalie started. She hadn't thought that far ahead, actually, but the answer seemed clear. "I'm thinking I'll put it off for a year. Maybe help Esme with her clients. Continue stealing Bella from Alice."

"Hey!"

"Clients?" It was like he was already used to Alice.

She nodded. "Esme does interior design. Most of the time she's home, but she does fly out sometimes."

"Huh." Charlie turned back to the movie, and as a vampire, she could sense something in him shift just as his posture did. "I imagine you're more excited for prom."

Alice grinned at her suddenly, that scary gleam in her eyes. Rosalie went with it, ignoring the anxious look Bella gave her. "Yes and no," she said brightly. "I might drag Bella with me."

Charlie choked on his beer.

Bella looked like she might want to die. She tried to get up, but Alice didn't budge.

Rosalie continued as if neither thing happened. "We might crash it or just go do something with Alice or ourselves. Girlfriends and all that."

Charlie stared at her casual smile before focusing on his daughter. After a minute, he stood and addressed Rosalie again. "Good luck with that. I'll, uh, I'll leave you girls to it."

He was almost out the room when Alice sat up suddenly. "Charlie!"

"Uh, yeah? Everything okay?"

"Can I take Bella out to Port Angeles next Saturday?"

While he frowned, Bella started to ease her way off the couch.

"Rose is coming, and we always go alone. So it'll be nice to have Bella there. Because, you know, she protects my honor and everything since she's so sweet and caring."

Bella popped off the couch entirely and would've made it out the room if Charlie hadn't caught her shoulder. He leaned into her, whispering. "Where are you going and what is happening?"

"Anywhere but here," she whispered back, fully aware the vampires could hear her.

"Pleeease." Alice fixed her puppy eyes on him and, after a few seconds, slapped Rosalie's arm.

"Oh. Right. Yes. Please let Bella come along. I love shopping but Alice can be a nightmare sometimes."

Alice looked scandalized, a hand flying to her heart. "I feel so betrayed right now."

Charlie started to look uncomfortable. "Sure. Update me on details. Home by ten." He all but ran away.

Bella tried to follow suit, except someone small latched onto her. "I hate both of you."

"Meanie."

Bella turned around in Alice's arms so she could glare down at her and at Rosalie, who still looked incredibly smug on the couch. "You _are_ sisters, I won't accept any other truth. Jesus."

"There's a reason Esme's only request is that you don't make her feel tired."

Alice nodded. "It's true."

"Because you guys are a total _nightmare_? If you excuse me, I'll go to sleep and try to have a better one."

"But it's soooo early," Alice whined.

"And I'm super fucking tired. Like, low levels of Esme Tired, complete with headache. And I need some time to process what all just happened because I can't believe either of you. I don't even know what Charlie thinks. I don't think I want to."

While Alice pouted, Rosalie moved on. "Carlisle's going to want to talk to you soon."

"Same. I have questions too."

* * *

Rosalie didn't blink at the knocking on her door. She shifted at her desk, turned a page in her book. Again, he knocked. As if she hadn't heard him. She rolled her eyes. Did he really have to bother her so soon after she finished hunting?

"Please."

She sighed.

Edward opened the door and stepped in, closing it behind him. But he didn't progress deeper into the room or directly look at her. He cleared his throat.

She turned another page.

"I know that you're not reading it."

Sighing again, she shut it, opting to stare at the wall in front of her.

"I have worked backwards in earning your forgiveness. Yes, yes, I know. I'm…lonely," he said.

She turned in her chair, crossing her legs and staring at him as she leaned her face against her fist. She blinked slowly.

"It's not an excuse, I know. I've been lonely for a long time, and rather bitter. I let it fester. I refused you rudely when you couldn't even care that I existed and I was less than sympathetic to your…situation. On all counts, I have been a self-righteous ass with tunnel vision."

Well, he wasn't wrong.

"I denied the truth of your mate in the same hour I'd accepted it. You'd grown bored of Emmett and wanted to entertain yourself and fooled yourself. Fooled everyone. You were spiting me, getting revenge for me rejecting you by using Bella. Through everything, she still put up with me, in a sense, so I allowed that to fuel my delusions. This and a thousand other things. Especially her gift of being a shield. She is interesting. She is unafraid of me. I would die for her."

Rosalie wondered which thing caused the welling of tears in his eyes.

Had she ever seen him cry before?

"You would die for her, too." He finally looked at the unmoved blonde, grimacing. "But you would do so because you love her. I would because I want to protect my singer." Edward gripped his hair, frustrated, before mussing it. "You've been a sister to me this entire time. I don't deserve it. I haven't deserved it. You say you love me with little things, and you challenge me when I'm out of line. It always seemed as though you were attacking me, but you only wanted me to be better and hated my behavior. You never hated me. Meanwhile, I've hardly even been a friend to you. You truly have one of the most brilliant souls to grace the Earth."

Her eyes widened a fraction.

"Isabella Swan is coarse and unapologetic. She is fierce in her love, she is as patient as stone. She is deceptively thoughtful. Exceedingly stubborn." He smiled crookedly. "Her tongue cuts the same as yours."

Rosalie couldn't help the twitch of her lips.

Edward at last came to her and took her free hand in both of his. "Isabella Swan has changed you in a way I never thought possible. Or perhaps only brought it to the surface. Regardless, she is an excellent mate for you and we haven't all talked about it, but I vote in favor of her becoming one of us and standing at your side. She was born to be a Cullen."

He'd whined and bitched about Bella's humanity from day one, when he'd been the one to introduce her to the supernatural world. He—

"You aren't angry?"

She blinked at his perplexed face. It was a rare look for a mind reader. "About?"

"Vampirism," he said bluntly.

"It's her choice, not mine. And she's my mate." Rosalie frowned, not seeing him anymore. "What else could I do? Let her wither and then kill myself? I only want it when she's ready."

"I'm certain she'll have a 'bucket list' of sorts," he said lightly, hopefully.

"She is rather morbid. And, god, the jokes."

His brow furrowed.

"She hasn't told you a joke?"

Clearing his throat, he looked away. "No, she is usually berating me in an attempt to correct my behavior with patience I don't deserve. I…I am thankful for Bella's personality. If it wasn't for her perceptive, bull-headed nature, I likely would've lost a sister."

For half an hour, they remained like that. Edward holding her hand and watching her face while she debated her answer to his unspoken question. She squeezed one of his hands.

Edward pulled her out the chair, hugging her tightly and choking on an uncharacteristic sob. "Yes. Punch my head off, I don't care."

She might take him up on that. Soon.

"Bella's shield is already surprising. For her to invert it on another as a human? She will honestly be as remarkable as her mate."

Sighing, Rosalie wrapped her arms around him, though not with the same ferocity. Two hugs in a year was a little unsettling and while he was right, he was kind of making her sick.

"You should say no, but will you help me?"

She frowned. "With what?"

"How do I apologize to Esme for all these years?" Edward whispered.

She hummed.

After a moment, he pulled out of their embrace with a frown. "You're thinking in German."

Rosalie jerked her head, exiting the room. "Let's walk and talk so she's surprised and it means something."

He didn't whine and bitch about not being able to understand her thoughts. He just followed after her down the stairs. Bella really must've gotten through to him. She smirked at the thought, but she surprised even herself when she nearly purred. Her mate had been positively livid over Edward's disrespect, uncaring that she was the vampire's singer. Carlisle had made sure to mention to Rosalie that it was indeed a grand gesture of the depth of her feelings given her human state…and that he would take the upmost care in changing her if she so chose.

"Are you alright?" Edward asked as they entered the kitchen.

Her head snapped up in a glare and, in seeing his tentative expression, she realized she'd been scowling at the thought of Carlisle.

Nodding, she led the way outside. "Thought about something."

"Oh."

About thirty feet from the house, Rosalie touched his wrist softly as they walked.

Even his eyes smiled at her.

She locked down in a vice grip, her other hand catching his bicep. Before the confusion could take over his face, she pulled roughly as she kicked forward into his midsection. A loud tearing noise preluded his scream and his fist swinging at her while he tried to free his arm. She took the hit even as she continued to pull. She kicked again, yanking as she did. And again. Her side cracked under his fist. She did it again. The rest of his arm tore off at the shoulder.

Edward fell back, clutching at where his arm used to be and yelling, "What's wrong with you?"

She descended on him and crudely clubbed her brother with his own limb.

"Rose! Stop!" He blocked with his remaining arm the best he could, continuously trying to wiggle himself out from under her. Loud cracks filled the air with every blow and when he managed to catch her wrist, she only slammed her free hand into his nose. Then his chest, again and again. "Esme! Carlisle!"

The eldest vampire appeared, but he only stood a small distance away, hands clasped behind his back and a small frown on his face. He watched Edward suffer a particularly malicious hit. "Getting distracted can get you killed in a fight, son. The second lesson you learn, it seems. I don't approve of this, but I am incredibly disappointed in your behavior and do not care for it to repeat."

And then he was gone.

Growling, Edward almost slipped out from under Rosalie. Almost, because he didn't anticipate her accepting him hitting her thigh hard enough to produce a loud crack as necessary in her wild mission.

She stopped suddenly.

His dark eyes watched her drop his arm to the side of them, stared up at her impassive face.

She saw Edward flinch as she reached for his face, but she didn't slow her movement. Not making eye contact, she patted his cracked cheek, noting the subtle relaxing of his muscles as she reached into his hair and mussed it.

"Rosalie," he said slowly, obviously trying to mind his pained face, "I know you—"

Her other hand gently found his jaw. Cold, amber eyes met the beginning of fear in his gaze.

"Rosalie, don't you think this has gone on long enough?"

"We've been asking you the same question this whole time."

"Rosalie—"

"I can't hurt you much, Edward. Don't you remember? I'm not an animal fit to make a trophy out of."

He grimaced. "Rosalie, I am so, so excruciatingly sorry. I—"

Her face finally allowed emotion in the form of a slow, bitter smile. She spoke softly, "I would've agreed with you once."

She slammed his head into the ground, again and again, ignoring his defensive swings.

No one looked out the windows of the house as Edward yelled among the sounds of impact.

* * *

Bella paused at the definite sound of heavy footsteps coming up the stairs. Charlie wasn't home. She probably didn't hear them enter thanks to the TV on downstairs. She glanced at the window. She hadn't done any jumps or falls in a while. Besides, she'd already hesitated too long. She pulled her favorite knife from the nightstand drawer and got behind her door. Utility knives never failed you. She ran her finger over the metal grip. When was the last time she held it?

Once the door opened halfway, Bella slammed against it, making the intruder stumble back, though not as much as they should've.

"Bella?"

The surprised voice made her eyes cross and an odd noise left her throat. "Are you fucking serious?" She stepped around, swinging the door open to glare at none other than Edward Cullen. Then she did a double take at her door. "Great. There's dents in it."

He stared at her, mouth moving, but no words came out.

"Why the fuck are you breaking into my house? And on a Saturday morning? Can't you kill me on Monday or something?"

He stepped forward and an involuntary noise puffed out of him.

She ran her finger across the top of the metal grip again, frowning as she noticed his eye color rapidly sliding toward black. He breathed in deeper than usual. Then she remembered. She was still sweaty and only had on jeans and a sports bra. She was his singer. Could he tell she'd had a nosebleed an hour ago? She took a step back as he took one closer again. "Edward."

His eyes jumped to hers.

"Get—"

Before she finished the syllable, Rosalie and Esme appeared in the doorway. Rosalie shoved him out and slammed the door, nearly shutting out Esme in the process.

Bella pointed with her knife back at the window, the fact she was at a total loss clearly written on her face. "What is happening?" Esme disappeared into her closet, so she looked to Rosalie.

Darkening eyes seemed to burn into Bella's. Her voice sounded almost empty. "Edward wanted to talk to you. We didn't think anything on account of the prevalent smell of hot, wet dog throughout your house. He is used to someone dismissing him once he reaches the door if he isn't allowed in."

Esme shoved a thick shirt into Bella's arms, going out the room. "I'll take him to hunt."

Bella flushed, wincing. She looked down at the shirt in her hand and back up at near-black eyes, still resolutely fixed on her face. "Oh," she said stupidly. She closed her knife and tossed it onto the bed. "Sorry about the smell."

"It's fine. Your pheromones are simply exquisite."

Bella thanked anything in the world she was pulling her shirt over her head at the moment. "I meant the one Leah left."

Rosalie studied a wall, face blank. She wasn't breathing.

The vampire was obviously blushing, and it would've been a pleasant sight if Bella didn't wish she could just sink through the floor. Awkward, she ran a hand through her hair.

"You startled him."

"Well, he fucking startled me, too."

Dark eyes moved to the knife and back to Bella. "You were going to take on an intruder?"

"I'm the police chief's daughter." She shrugged a shoulder. "He walked like no one was home, so I would've had surprise on my side this time. Besides, Alice would've seen it and some vampire would've been tearing down my door any second, right?"

"This time?"

Oops. She couldn't backtrack on that one, judging by the intense frown on Rosalie's face. She sat on her bed with a sigh.

Rosalie blurred to sit next to her. "Were you hurt?"

She sounded afraid of the answer. Bella made a face, turning more toward the vampire. "Yes and no. Relax, okay?"

Rosalie nodded after a few seconds.

Seeing that she hadn't relaxed at all, Bella reached out and rested her hand over Rosalie's. "Renèe and Phil were on a date one night and I'd had a really bad week so my earbuds were doing me the favor of blocking out the world entirely, if only for a few hours. In between songs, I heard a noise. As I pull them out, there's footsteps down the hall, soft, but there. My fucking heart, holy shit."

"I'm sure."

"I'll fight anything, but I also pick my battles." Bella laughed, making Rosalie's shoulders release a small amount of tension.

"Surprising."

"Nah. I didn't sit there for a second longer. He got his sense of urgency when I accidentally knocked something off my nightstand in a panic. My door flew open and I swung my pipe right into the window, then threw it back at him. I fucking felt him right behind me as I crashed through what remained of my window. Screamed when I hit the ground because I rolled, but it wasn't good enough and my room's on the second story there too. Plus, glass in my fucking skin."

"That is terrifyingly close," Rosalie said quietly.

"Ha, yeah. So I ran down the street barefoot in Deadpool boxers and a tank top and didn't stop till I got to Kris's house."

Rosalie stared at her.

Bella shrugged. "Police chief's daughter. Charlie put me through drills whenever I visited him, but I'd never had a worry before that. I'm as into dying as I was when I was fifteen. Which is not at all. I started exercising after that and made a habit of jumping and falling off things just in case. I've slacked off since March, though. There was a period where Charlie was convinced I was going to be a super cop or something."

Rosalie pursed her lips for a moment. "You said you used a _pipe_?"

Bella moved away and knelt down, reaching under the bed. She pulled out a metal pipe and wiggled it a little as a smile pulled at Rosalie's lips. "During all the drills and exercises, we learned I prefer these over bats."

"You are honestly something else. Why didn't you get that instead of the knife?"

Critical brown eyes swept across her room. "Lack of space to maneuver. I'll probably move things around to make it better. Maybe. That makes a clear path, but, hm." She tilted her head a little as her eyes lingered on the door. "Small blade length, but also thin, utility quality. Brief window to seize as they recover from the disruption of what they'd likely rehearsed in their head. Struggle is likely, but the small space of the doorway is in my favor assuming a panicked male and considering my goals. Feint a punch, follow with hard-to-see knife to abdomen and drag. Horrible, open wound. Call 911 after I'm out the door." She refocused on Rosalie. "I assume a vampire would've arrived at any point."

Dark eyes studied her.

"Police Chief's daughter?" Bella rubbed the back of her neck.

"You, Isabella Swan, both concern and impress me."

"Charlie is very serious about self-defense and plans in case something happens in your home. It needs to be instinct. I've got a decade of this drilled into me."

"Jasper did mention that you check exits whenever you enter a room."

Bella shrugged, sitting back down.

"So you ran to your friend's house?"

"Yeah. Someone shouted something at me from their driveway, but I didn't really care."

"How far did your friend live?"

"Two blocks. When she opened the door, she went from excited to panicked in like half a second. It's funny when I think back on it. Awkward when I think of how she helped me pick glass out my skin while we waited for police and an ambulance, though."

"How on Earth was that awkward? Was she squeamish about blood? And was he arrested?"

Bella pulled her hand away from Rosalie's and stood, gathering a fresh set of clothes to buy herself time. "Yeah, apparently I gave him a horrible black eye with the pipe and like four other people called the police after seeing me running like a bat out of hell."

Rosalie raised an eyebrow, staring.

She ignored it up until she got to the bathroom door. Then she turned around, looking sheepish as she rubbed the back of her neck. "It was awkward as fuck because Kris was so careful and sweet about getting every piece of glass she could and she was just so worried. Meanwhile, I had planned to break up with her the next day."

Rosalie's eyes widened a little. "Oh."

* * *

"Whatever friend you had here, you shouldn't be around them." He grimaced at the sight of her raised eyebrows. "I mean that they're dangerous and you should be careful."

At least he was trying. And as long as he didn't mention earlier, she wouldn't either. She'd showered while Rosalie aired out the house, he'd hunted. Now they all milled around the kitchen. Rosalie sat on a countertop, looking as out of place as possible without any effort. Esme kept looking around as if to busy herself. Bella sat at the table across from Edward.

She crossed her arms. "I'm your singer. Besides, I was there for Leah's first shift. We've been going running together a lot and we're going to keep doing so. Besides, I don't think I can stop her from destroying what used to be my blissful Saturday mornings."

His head snapped up with disbelief. Then he looked to Rosalie, but he didn't find any support in her almost bored expression as she inspected her nails. "You knew?"

"She reeked of dog and had fur on her that first day, so, yes."

"But—"

"Bella is not a child," Esme chided gently as she peeked into some cabinets. "She is also alone with three vampires when one of them desires her blood like no other."

Edward swallowed, nodding his head. He turned back to Bella. "Anyway, I wanted to apologize for—"

"Did you apologize to Rosalie?"

Both of the female vampires smiled.

"Yes."

"And everyone else?"

Edward nodded again.

"But were you forgiven?"

"I—They." He paused, composing himself.

"So funny to see him taken aback," Rosalie murmured.

"It is a work in-progress, in which I am putting forth effort and it is accepted."

Bella crossed a leg over her knee and leaned her shoulder against the wall. "Okay, then. Can I hit you with something?"

Edward stared at her.

Rosalie chuckled.

Esme closed the fridge and turned to Bella. "How do you _survive_?"

"Well," Bella said without looking away from Edward, "There's this beautiful woman who I confuse for Rosalie's sister and she likes cooking for me for some reason."

The older vampire beamed, drifting over and swatting at Bella's shoulder. "Should I tell Alice she has competition?"

"She'll have a fit," Rosalie commented.

Edward looked between them all. Once, twice, three times. "I do not understand."

"Bella knows how to pay a compliment. Though I do believe her tongue gets away from her sometimes." Esme gave her a slow, tentative side hug before going back to rifling through the kitchen.

"Yeah. Like how I could make a crack about giving your hair a reason to look like that."

Edward stiffened after a second.

Rosalie burst out laughing, oblivious to drawing Bella's soft gaze.

Meanwhile, Esme covered her smile with a hand. "Dear, you'll break him if you say things like that."

"Yeah he is kinda prudish." Bella eyed him.

"I am not!"

"Anyway, I run out and grab things to cook every few days or so. You should've seen the kitchen before." She breathed in deeply and let it out, sitting up properly to regard Edward again. "So. Can I hit you with something?"

He still hadn't recovered, so he just nodded.

"Now, you were saying."

Edward stared long enough for her to motion for him to continue. He cleared his throat. "I would like to start fresh with you."

"No thanks."

His lips parted, a small noise coming out of him.

"If we do that, then you haven't learned anything. If they can forgive you, I can, too. I have a little more perspective on your behavior now, so I understand the why of it all, but you were still making a horrible ass out of yourself and disrespecting everyone under the sun."

"This is true, as are most things you say about me. I thank you. You—"

"I don't want to actually talk about it because then I'll get pissed off again." She stood, stretching. She navigated past Esme to grab a soda from the fridge. "I meant what I said, though. If you ever breathe another word like that again, I _will_ ruin you. I'd still want to break your face if I hadn't apparently wrecked your mind."

"Understood. We can become friends, then?"

She sipped her soda. "Yeah."

He rose.

She switched the can to her left hand as he came over and started raising her right hand to shake his.

Edward, however, didn't really notice because he'd been looking at Rosalie's stoic face for approval as he lifted both of his arms.

Bella stopped him with a hand on his chest. "Don't fucking touch me."

His arms fell to his sides and his shoulders drooped in an almost pathetic way.

Rosalie snorted.

"Sorry, Mrs. Cullen."

"Maybe if you use my name," she muttered.

Bella held out her hand for Edward to shake.

He took what he could get. "What would you like to do today?"

"Nothing with you." She sipped her soda like she'd commented on the weather.

His eyes drifted to Rosalie, who smirked at him.

Esme frowned into a cabinet again. "I almost worry there will be too many cutting tongues in the house."

"But Bella's actually nice and caring and considerate," Rosalie argued in an overly sweet voice.

Bella scoffed. "I'm offended. Hey, uhm, are you okay?" She looked at Esme opening the fridge for the third time.

"Wondering about your diet is actually distressing me."

"Charlie's thrilled to see spaghetti. It's almost exotic to him. And sometimes I'd rather die than cook so I just skip out on food then, so we don't need that many groceries at a time."

Slowly, Esme focused incredulous gold eyes on her.

"You know, I might be a perfect vampire, but I don't think I heard you correctly."

Edward met Bella's alarmed gaze and mouthed, "Run."

"I think I heard, uh, something not here."

As she tried to edge past Edward, Esme caught Bella by the ear. "If ever you feel that way, you tell me. Do you understand?"

Bella nodded as vigorously as she could without feeling like her ear would come off.

* * *

"Okay, no one say anything to Bella. She's grumpy as all fuck today," Jessica warned as they approached their table. She practically threw down her lunch tray, glaring at said bundle of annoyance.

Alice nodded across the cafeteria at them. "She warned Bella that one girl might harass her again."

"Should I go get her shirt from your locker, then?" Jasper asked.

"When isn't Bella grumpy?" Tyler asked with a false laugh.

"Good question," Edward muttered.

Alice shrugged. "If you want. Not sure if she'll do it."

"You'd be grumpy as all fuck if your friend woke you up at three am to go running and you had a nosebleed."

Rosalie sighed. "Am I going to want to kill her?"

"No," Alice said. "Maybe. But you might laugh."

"Is your friend, like, a serial killer?"

"Knowing Bella, maybe," Mike joked.

Bella rolled her eyes and did a double take, noticing Angela's frown. "What?"

"Oh," she said sheepishly, "I just forgot a cookie."

"'Kay." Bella got up despite her protests and went back to the line.

On her way back to the table, Lauren got in her way, smirking.

"This again? You have to be kidding."

Lauren tossed her soda into Bella's face. "Saw you walking freaky Alice to class today. Thought you might like to look how you should feel. Pathetic."

The display had drawn an increasing audience, but Bella hardly noticed. She wiped her eyes and laughed.

Confusion and slight fear began replacing Lauren's haughty demeanor.

"Look," Bella said loudly, her expression serious, "You can't keep obsessing about me like this."

"What?" The girl had practically screeched the word.

"I know I said I didn't wanna date you, but you really have to let it go. This is getting out of hand."

Lauren sputtered. Her face turned an unhealthy shade of red as she got closer to forming a sentence.

Angela got to Bella's side, pulling her arm. "Come on."

She didn't budge. "I didn't want to hurt your feelings, but you're really below my standards, so please stop trying to get my attention like a ten-year-old boy."

"Buuurn!" Mike instigated.

Lauren looked as if she'd been struck. "You'd be _lucky_ to have me."

A tired-looking staff member had almost reached them.

Angela pulled on Bella hard enough to make her stumble a little. " _Bella._ "

"Obviously not since I declined you."

Lauren took the bait. "You know you fucking want me!"

"Nah, I'm not into bestiality."

Even Mike looked shocked.

"Oh my god," Angela whispered.

Lauren slapped Bella so hard her head jerked to the side. She wound her arm back again, only for the staff member to catch it. She started shrieking and spat in Bella's direction. "Let me go!"

He dragged Lauren away like she weighed nothing, the tired expression never leaving his face.

As if nothing happened, Bella handed Angela the cookie. She spun on her heel, whistling, and exited the cafeteria.

Alice giggled as she entered the restroom, Rosalie at her side.

"Hey," Bella greeted over the running water.

Shirtless, she braced herself against the sink, frowning at the mirror. She met a particular set of amber eyes. "Hey, Rosalie."

Alice waved a clean shirt at Bella as she leaned against the counter next to her.

"Mm, so you saw this happening and stole one of my shirts."

"Best friend duties. You know how it is."

Bella cleaned her collarbone again before running a hand through her hair and frowning at the stickiness. "Yeah, well, I think I'm just going to bail and shower at home. I was attacked and all. I'm quite shaken."

Alice rolled her eyes, but she still moved when Bella pointed at the paper towels.

"I'd offer to kill her, but I think you already did."

Bella grinned at Rosalie's reflection, fully aware amber eyes never left her face. "When Jess said something about her, I decided to have fun. Alas, I think I have reached my apex. And I didn't even plan it. Did you _see_ her face?"

Alice helped Bella dry off some, giggling. "I was excited even though I didn't want her to slap you."

Bella noticed amber eyes on the red handprint on her cheek. Their gazes locked. "I was hoping she would, actually. Sells it better."

"Jasper grinned like a maniac when she said you'd be lucky to have her. He called you a cruel genius."

Rosalie leaned against the wall as Bella pulled on her clean shirt. "Are you possibly ready for a show?"

"Go on."

Alice practically bounced, but she kept her mouth shut, letting Rosalie have the floor.

"Edward said she had a thought. Apparently, her revenge is to actually try gaining your attention, in whatever capacity."

"I know there's the running joke that I'm defective, but I genuinely think there is something wrong with her."

"Bella." Alice sounded frustrated. "You're missing the point. They're going to tell Lauren she has to reach at least a neutral point with you and she hopes to abuse it. Rosalie's going to entertain herself. Well, if she can be patient. Heavy emphasis on 'if.'"

She raised an eyebrow, looking between the two vampires.

Rosalie pushed herself off the wall, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "It's bitch versus bitch, and I don't like losing."

Bella watched her go. "I think I just swooned a little."

Alice patted her arm sympathetically.

* * *

On Friday, Edward found himself suddenly looking at his smaller sister. "You're kidding."

"Nope." Alice popped the 'p' sound with a cocky grin.

"What?" Rosalie and Jasper asked at the same time.

"She's crazy."

Alice pointed at Bella's lunch table.

Mike had called out Eric's lack of knowledge about comics again and they'd drifted to firing at each other about the Joker and Harley Quinn. Except, that made Bella almost break her neck to butt in about how abusive and shitty the relationship was and how "anyone with even empty eye sockets" should support Harley with Poison Ivy instead.

"Look, they're good to each other. They're canon." Bella ticked off on her fingers. "Ivy has a fucking PhD. Dude, she can debate you to hell, seduce the fuck out of you, save the world, and beat the shit out of you in the same day and still have time to spend hours with her plants _and_ have dinner with Harley. She can choke you or break your neck with zero effort or even have her plants do it. What's not to like?"

"She's such a nerd," Jasper commented, the corner of his mouth quirked.

"Bella, please," Mike said, "keep your kinks to yourself."

Alice stood up, waving at her siblings. "Going to save my nerdy best friend from weird nerd and fake nerd. And to save Rosalie from herself."

Rosalie turned to Edward, grabbing his arm. "What is she doing?"

He shook his head and stared after the small vampire.

Alice bounced over to Bella, unnoticed as the argument with Eric about qualities of Harley continued. She waved at Angela, who tapped Bella's arm.

"—so if, uh. What's up, Ange?"

At that moment, Alice sat in Bella's lap, wrapping arms around her shoulders as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

Bella automatically shifted her legs closer together to make it easier and slid her hand under Alice's thigh to pull her a little closer and hold her. Like the vampire might fall or something.

In the stunned silence that extended past Bella's table, Rosalie could not believe her eyes. The sheer _audacity_ of Alice Cullen never ceased to amaze her.

"She was serious," Edward muttered to himself. "She was actually serious."

Rosalie looked at Jasper and his idle smile. "What is with your wife?"

"I believe she said something about not really being best friends if there's not a rumor that you're gay for each other. Something else about stealing Bella from you."

Rosalie stared at the odd display across the cafeteria. Honestly.

"So," Alice started casually, "How's it going, Angela? I'm hoping we have a class together next semester."

To her credit, Angela recovered fairly quickly. "Uhm. Pretty good. I think we're taking the same art class later? Maybe it'll be the same period. How are you?"

"Good." She smiled brightly as chatter resumed in the neighboring tables. "I just missed Bella. It's hard not having a class with your best friend."

"I bet." Mike took a gulp of water, his eyes moving beyond their table.

"Yeah, I'm glad to have Bella in my favorite class, even if she is grumpiest in first period."

Angela looked like she didn't quite know how to continue, so Bella cleared her throat. "Are you here for me or to steal yourself some new friends?"

Jessica actually frowned across the table at Alice. "Yeah, like, you're treating her like a chair or something."

"Oh."

Everyone looked up at Lauren, who had her arms crossed and tapped her foot like she was late. Except, she was biting her lip awkwardly as opposed to sneering at Bella.

"Honestly, can you just fuck off?" Angela slammed her textbook closed. "This is ridiculous."

"Wow," Bella muttered.

Lauren blinked at Angela even as the girl seemed oblivious about the sets of wide eyes focused on her. "Uhm. The counselors agree with you. They said we need to, like, bury this."

Alice raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you the one with a problem? You know, since we're dyke freaks and whatever?"

Nobody missed the plural. Bella settled her other hand on the small of Alice's back with the hope she'd take the hint. Wasn't it supposed to be Rosalie's fun? Even then, she didn't need more people thinking she was crazy about Alice.

Tyler left his seat without a word while Eric slid into his place and tried to casually position his camera on the table.

"Look. I've been a bitch. You were right—"

Alice leaned a little into the way. "About which thing?"

"I'm not talking to you, Cullen."

As if making a point, Alice placed her hand over Bella's on her thigh. "For some reason, I'm against you talking to her by yourself."

"Me too," Jessica said, if a little quietly.

Lauren's face twitched, but she still smiled. She leaned around Alice to look Bella in the eyes. "I was thinking maybe we could go see Falsun's Awakening. It releases tomorrow and I remember you were excited about it, like, forever ago. You know, before I started being a _total_ bitch to you."

"You don't like fantasy," Bella said plainly.

"No, but I'm trying. We can, like, at least be civil or whatever, you know? I'll pay for everything."

"Tomorrow? As in, this Saturday?"

Lauren crossed her arms again. "I got the tickets yesterday. Just say yes so I don't have to see a counselor every single damn Thursday."

"Nope."

Angela didn't cover up her laugh at Alice's happy answer.

Meanwhile, Lauren spoke through her teeth without looking at Alice. "I. Am not. Talking. To. You."

"I—"

Alice cut off Bella. "She's busy tomorrow. If you really want to argue it, you can."

"You drag her around all the fucking time!" Lauren pressed a few of her fingers to one of her eyes. "Can't you reschedule so I can work on this damn apology? I have better things to do than talk to counselors."

"A movie hardly qualifies as an apology for how you've been," Angela butted in.

"Bella fucking punched me in the fucking face. I'd say we're almost even." She looked at Bella. "What do you think?"

A half shrug. Really, she was just surprised she even got to say something. She wasn't even sure this was about her anymore. "I guess. Maybe."

Taking a deep breath, because Alice Cullen was a complete nightmare when she wanted to be, Lauren clasped her hands in front of her. "Will you please reschedule?"

Feeling the small vampire tap the base of her neck, Bella looked for whatever she was being clued in on. Eyes drifting, she saw Edward and Jasper smiling at her. No Rosalie.

"Oh," Alice said, getting up from Bella's lap and spinning away, "I didn't say you had to argue that with me."

"Ugh, fuck, you're making this hard on purpose! Who, then?" Lauren called after her.

"Me," said a cold voice.

Lauren seemed as stunned as Jessica and Mike.

Eric looked like someone had thrown him a personal party.

Slowly, Lauren turned around to regard her.

"Move."

Instinct made her comply, stepping away from Bella's chair. She swallowed. She swallowed again. "You're fucking kidding. I've never even seen you two together. She says hi and you straight tell her to fuck off sometimes."

Rosalie Hale canted out her hip, establishing contact with Bella's chair, and studied her nails. "And?"

Bella had no idea where the vampires were going with things, but she did know how to be a good human and play along. She faced the wrong way in her chair to watch them better, managing not to bump into Rosalie, then nibbled on her cookie.

Lauren's incredulous eyes darted between them. " _You_ hang out with _her_?" She gestured to Bella as if to make sure Rosalie knew who they were talking about.

An eyebrow arched. "Just because you aren't worth my time doesn't mean you should project it onto others."

The verbal slap made her wince. Whenever Lauren did something particularly…interesting, people still talked about the one time Rosalie Hale shut her down when trying to up her status through friendship with her.

Gold eyes met brown. "Are you cancelling on me?"

Bella straightened, face a little horrified. "Never, Miss Hale."

Angela's eyebrow quirked.

"You're fucking jok—"

"Looks like you're out of luck tomorrow," Rosalie cut off.

Lauren finally closed her mouth and blinked at something to her left for a few seconds. "Uh, well, like, if you guys are _actually_ friends, you can reschedule any time, right? Because, you know, it wouldn't be this _one time_ that you supposedly saw each other."

"I don't wrap my schedule around others."

Mike coughed at the same time as Jessica.

"Come on. I already bought the tickets."

"I don't care if you bought the theater."

Lauren looked at Bella, clearly exasperated. "Reschedule?"

"Look, whatever your name is—"

"Lauren," she said, clenching her jaw.

"You're aggravating me. Any time you want to try making some bullshit plans involving Bella, consider the time filled by me."

"Are you fucking serious right now? Her time—"

"Filled. By. Me." Rosalie straightened and looked down at Bella.

She stared at almost amber eyes. Then she jerked her head and grabbed her backpack. "Let's bail."

They left Lauren sputtering behind them.

* * *

Bella didn't say anything until Rosalie locked the car and they started for the front of the Cullen house. "You okay?"

"Thank you."

She bumped into Rosalie. "Anytime. Even though I didn't do anything."

The vampire held the door for her, silent. Then she stopped just inside the living room without looking at anything in particular.

Bella dropped her backpack next to the couch and pulled Rosalie along by the wrist all the way out the back of the house and then let go, walking toward the tree line. Only, a few seconds later, she was lifted off her feet. Before she could open her mouth, trees started blurring past them. She had to squint thanks to the air whipping at her eyes. Getting air in and out of her lungs without choking or coughing every other breath proved itself to be a task.

It'd been maybe five minutes, maybe ten, and Bella had just begun to get the hang of breathing when she was deposited onto her feet. The world swayed. Or maybe that was her. She widened her stance a little to help balance herself, rubbing at her eyes. Blinking, she looked around a small clearing, noticing a large boulder, except it had an unnatural, almost flat top. Also, the space of the clearing actually opened up to what looked like the edge of a sharp drop. With the world stable again, she turned, words dying on her lips.

Rosalie's jaw seemed like it'd been tense her whole life and her back was rigid. In fact, as her empty stare traveled without purpose, a small wind teased her hair and that was the only part of her that moved. "Are you alright?"

It was like words mysteriously leaving a statue and Bella almost wasn't sure she'd heard them. She ran a hand through her hair a few times, trying to calm it after it'd been abused by them traveling so fast. "No."

Amber eyes jumped to Bella then.

"Good thing I didn't get to eat anything except my cookie," Bella joked. She wandered toward the cliff-face, stopping where the grass ended, and sat down, leaning back on her hands.

Rosalie joined her, though she crossed her legs and her back remained straight as she rested her hands on her knees. She stared off at the mountain in the distance. "I'm sorry. I should've asked before—"

"Not what I mean."

"Then?"

"I don't know why you're so upset."

"I was actually about to apologize regarding that."

Bella looked at her. "Why would you apologize for being upset?"

"No. I'm attempting to apologize because my nature got the best of me."

She had no idea what in the fuck Rosalie was talking about, at all, so she decided to wait.

"You know, your father is going to like me even less after this. I'm sure he'll say I'm a bad influence on you."

"More like me being a bad influence on you." Bella partially smiled. "Besides, he hasn't forgotten that you were there for me when I was…less than pleasant."

Rosalie nodded lightly, still not looking at her. She sighed slowly. "I was already annoyed on account of Edward."

"Do you want me to hit him?"

It didn't make Rosalie smile. Instead, she seemed to completely miss Bella's joke. "No, if either of us hits him, it should be me. Even then, he's just trying to understand, which can be as infuriating as him being a brat."

Bella's brow furrowed. "I'm already seeing that, but what's he trying to understand?"

Irritation laced Rosalie's voice in a way that only happened when she spoke about her brother, and she pitched it higher—probably to indicate how whiny and persistent Edward was. "'I don't understand. Rosalie, explain this to me. Rosalie. _Rosalie_. What is happening? I just want to understand. Rosalie. Alice is Jasper's mate, so why does she act like that? Why does Jasper only smile about it when I ask? Rosalie, are you sure Bella knows she's your mate? Are you sure you know? Rosalie. Don't you think Alice and Bella lack boundaries? Rosalie, is something wrong? I see the anger in your eyes now, why don't you stop them? Why are the two of you single? Rosalie, you cannot run away from your mate, it will destroy you.' He even prattles it all off through the walls at me." Silence lingered long enough for Rosalie to finally turn her head and see the annoyed disgust written all over Bella's face.

"No surprise he couldn't put together you looked angry because of him. How are you sane?"

"I'm not certain I am, to be completely honest with you."

Cracking her neck, Bella looked off toward the landscape again, but she wasn't processing anything in front of her eyes. The horror seeping into her heart was too much. "Is he going to be like that with me?"

"Probably."

Bella shuddered.

Rosalie let out a long sigh. Her back finally relaxed and she supported her weight on her hands behind her, stretching out her legs as she did. "I'm normally better at my control, but between Edward and your effect on me, I…"

"You're not wound up tight enough to explode into a screaming banshee at the smallest things anymore?" She grinned shamelessly at Rosalie's scandalized expression. "Well?"

The vampire huffed. "I wouldn't use the same words as you did, and I am in no way agreeing with you, but I will excuse you this time."

"How many pardons am I allowed?"

"You earn them. Then they are deducted accordingly."

Bella raised an eyebrow at her. "What am I at now? What did I even do to earn one?"

"Mm, behaviors and if you're desperate, maybe certain tasks could add to your list of available pardons."

Bella squinted at her. "What happens when I run out?"

"Maybe I'll throw you off a cliff like this one. Slash your tires. Hide your books. Keep Esme from cooking for you. The options are endless."

"What!"

"You're squawking again."

She glared at Rosalie's casual smirk.

"Oh, and to answer your question, you're currently negative by one."

Bella sat up, rubbing her face. "I'm done with you."

"I hope not. You'll never find your lamp."

"You're bluffing."

Rosalie looked at her, eyebrow arched. "How can you be sure?"

Bella huffed.

Then Rosalie's smirk started to fade. "I am honestly sorry."

"And I still don't know why. You're saying because of your nature, but I'm pretty fucking fond of it." She leaned back on her hands again and re-crossed her legs.

"With that girl in the cafeteria. I—"

"Do you really not remember her name? You've heard it like fifty times."

"I never remember the names of people like her."

Bella smiled a little. "Okay, so, with Lauren in the cafeteria."

Rosalie shifted unnecessarily, pointlessly. "Edward especially doesn't understand because he knows how possessive vampires are. So, to see Jasper and I unfazed by Alice interacting with you? It baffles him. I was already possessive and bitchy as a human."

Bella waited, a little surprised. Rosalie was adept at being indirect when she wanted to, but this was as close to anxious rambling as she'd ever heard.

Eventually, Rosalie added, "I understand that it can be off-putting."

"Oh!" Brown eyes widened for a second. And then she laughed, the sound loud and genuine.

Rosalie stared at her, eyebrows knit together.

Her shoulders still shook as she smiled. "You are such a silly vampire."

The words made Rosalie torn between perplexed and insulted, her lips twitching to say something. She made an unintelligible noise before she managed to speak. "I am not silly."

Bella held up two fingers and gestured between their eyes. Tone serious, she said, "Rosalie, you could've started actually hissing and spitting and I still would've found it cute."

She looked away, blinking.

After a full minute of no response, and then a second, and a third, Bella rubbed her knuckles against her chin. "Did…Did I say something wrong?"

Rosalie came back to herself. She glanced at Bella. "No. No, it's just that I've never had that word directed at me before."

" _Cute_?"

She nodded at the young woman's incredulous expression.

"What the fuck."

Rosalie didn't say anything until she looked over and discovered that Bella had sat up and stared at her hands in front of herself, seeming totally distressed. "What?"

Bella tapped her index fingers together for a few seconds. Then she started counting off on her fingers. "I realized a few days ago that when you first approached me in the cafeteria and tried to talk to me outside you were being awkward and nervous. It—"

"I am not awkward and I do not get nervous."

She continued as if she hadn't been interrupted and somewhat gawked at. "—is cute as fuck, Miss Perfect. You're holding my shirt hostage. For what, I don't know. Still cute. You came in through my window to leave a present. Cute. You like playing this game where we're bitchy toward each other. Also cute. You insist on paying for my food. Annoyingly cute. You _don't do board games_ because you pretend they're below you. Cute. You were worried about my hand swelling after I hit Lauren. Cute. You threw a rock through my window because you have poor social skills. Cu—"

"Excuse you. My social skills are impeccable."

Bella's smile reached her eyes in response to Rosalie's glare. "You're especially cute when you're flustered or blushing."

Rosalie made an irritated noise. "I am physically incapable of blushing."

"Because you're a vampire or because you're Rosalie Hale?"

"Both," she stated firmly. "And nothing flusters me."

"I can keep going, but before you bite my head off, let's not forget how you _ran away_ the first time I called you 'Rose.'"

Clenching her jaw, she refused to look at Bella.

She scooted closer to the vampire.

No response.

Bella bit her lip, hating that the nervous beating of her heart wasn't private. Again, she shifted closer. This time she only stopped when she had to scoot forward a few inches to be able to rest back on her hands without their arms touching. Same position, hardly any distance between them, but only Bella was breathing. She moved onto an easier topic. " _Do_ you get upset about me and Alice?"

"No," she said without hesitation, "Alice learned a long time ago she can't do such things with me. Our dynamics are different and you're the first to give her that one. I think you both deserve it."

Bella nodded. "Guessing it'd also be ridiculous with the height difference. Hilarious, but ridiculous."

"The first time she held my hand, it felt like doing so with a child."

"You're what, a foot taller than her?"

"Just an inch short of it, yes."

Bella shook her head.

"She also doesn't stop moving when she sits in your lap. I couldn't deal with any of it, even for her pouting. What made you ask? You never seem bothered by her behavior and you didn't appear alarmed when we watched that movie together. Well, aside from her troublemaking."

"Edward harassing you."

Rosalie shrugged a shoulder, causing their jackets to briefly touch.

The words tumbled off her tongue before she could get nervous. "This in-between state we're in is just because I already planned something for when I get back from Phoenix."

Rosalie looked at her sharply. "What?"

Bella cleared her throat, eyes leaving amber ones and returning every other second. "I may be a hoodlum, but I'm pretty sure—and I use this phrase loosely—you're a lady of refinement."

She smiled crookedly, amusement dancing in her eyes. "Is that so?"

"Well," Bella said, watching a bird swoop down out of eyesight. She suddenly studied the edge of the cliff itself and swallowed like it might ease her heart. "You do have a habit of dismissing suitors."

Rosalie hummed, stretching. "This much is true. Especially for ruffians, even if I have been waiting for them to think about something important."

Bella nodded, staring ahead of them at nothing. Her heart beat more wildly than when Leah shifted in front of her. Still, she asked, somehow without stuttering, "Can this ruffian fill the holes in your vanity?"

The world sounded quieter the exact second she finished speaking, leaving only the insistent pounding of her heart in her ears. She didn't think the choice of words was lost on Rosalie, but she hoped everything hidden in that one sentence came through clear. _Will you show me everything ugly in you so I can show you everything beautiful in you? Can I reconcile the violence in your heart? Can I make you feel content? Can I love you like you dreamed of?_

She inhaled deeply. With a wild heart, she finally turned.

Rosalie's soft gaze was waiting for her. "Yes."

* * *

 **A/N:** [SCREAMING INTENSIFIES]

My skin is clear, my crops are thriving, my soul has found peace.


	20. Starlight

**A/N:** So, to clear up, because I noticed some were unsure. Yes, in the last bit of the last chapter, that was Rose and Bella getting into a relationship.

And bless, TeganCappa's review is the kinda shit I dreamed of when I first stumbled into fanfiction so that's another thing off my checklist for life... Isn't that just a bucket list?

* * *

Bella descending the stairs early on a Saturday morning still caught Charlie off-guard, she could tell. She could also tell he doubted her sanity as she went straight to him at the kitchen table and slung an arm around his shoulder. Predictably, he watched her raise her phone in front of them.

"Perfect."

He pulled on her wrist to look at the photo. An image of them both looking dead and sick of mornings and life itself stared back at him. "Why didn't you smile if you knew you were taking it?"

She straightened and started sliding through the album. "Because we both hate waking up early, duh." Bella held out her fist for him to bump it and then grabbed his empty glass, going over to the fridge.

"Why have you been taking pictures lately?"

"In case you forget what I look like, old man."

Charlie huffed and went back to his newspaper. "I'm not senile."

"Didn't say you were." She set down his glass of orange juice and sat across from him with her own. "You should go to Billy's today."

He shook his head. "We can both go after Thanksgiving break."

"Or, here's an idea. You can go today and laze about with him. You can probably go during break, and we can go after."

"Does Jake know you're gay?"

Bella choked, whacking her own chest and spilling some of her juice as she set it down. She cleaned up with a few deep breaths. "I think he does, but doesn't accept it. Like himself, not like 'curse those gays.'"

He chewed his cheek. "That why you been dodging him for Leah?"

"Is it really dodging if she arrives and drags me to die outside?"

"It's great you guys are friends. She seems better. But honestly I'm just glad you guys go running during daylight."

She nodded, taking a large sip from her cup.

"The school called me about that girl slapping you, you know." When Bella didn't say anything, he went on. "Can't help but notice you not only didn't mention it, but seem pretty upbeat. And missed half of school yesterday after an encounter with her."

She was draining her glass.

"Bella."

Her eyes wandered as she shrugged. "Lauren isn't a problem. Annoying, but not a problem."

The stare of the police chief bored into her.

She squirmed. "What?"

"Did you get with Alice?"

"No!" Bella slapped a hand to her forehead and leaned on the table as her cheeks tinted pink. "God, why do you keep talking about Alice like Jake? Not even. Worse than Jake."

Charlie returned to his newspaper. "So what's the plan today?"

"Presumably the terror of Alice at a mall." She played with her empty glass. "I'm actually a little afraid because even Rosalie seems to kind of dread it."

He slid a hundred dollars across the table and cut off her objection. "Any boys going?"

"No."

"You girls be safe, you understand? I want you guys driving back by eight at the latest. Home by ten, but I don't want you out there too late."

"I promise. What if I text you every other hour to let you know we're okay?"

"It'll help, but, Bells?"

She pulled down his newspaper to look at him. "What's up?"

"I'll arrest you if you don't take that money."

"You can't do that."

"You don't know that."

Squinting at Charlie, she put the money into her wallet and stood up. "You want anything?"

"No, I'm good." He watched her wash her glass and head toward the stairs. "Wait, when are you leaving?"

"Now." She increased her volume as she got to her room. "Alice said we need to get ready or whatever."

"I know it's an hour drive, but it's eight in the morning."

Bella rolled her eyes and stopped in the restroom since it'd be a while before they got to the city. She glanced around her room and patted herself down, double-checking that she had everything before grabbing her keys. Getting back downstairs, she hugged his shoulders, though briefly so he didn't have to awkwardly pat her arm for too long. "I don't think you understand the nightmare that is Alice Cullen."

"Yeah, well, Bells, take care of your girlfriend."

His words made her stumble on her way out. With a scowl, she locked the door and hopped into her truck.

* * *

Jasper surprised her by opening the door as she craned back her neck to look up at him. "Oh, hey. How's your morning?"

He nodded, closing the door behind her. "Good. And yours?"

"Is that Bella?" Alice shouted from somewhere in the house.

Bella shared a small smile with him as they walked away from the door, though she rolled her eyes. "Okay. Ready to die."

Jasper laughed, a deep and easy sound. "I wish you more energy than luck. May I ask you something?"

"Yeah. Of course." She noticed Edward moving in her peripherals in the hall past the stairs like he was looking for something.

At this, Jasper hesitated to the point he stopped walking. When he did speak, he bent toward her very slightly with half of a smile like there was some inside joke. "May I hug you?"

Her eyes widened. She jerked her hands from the pockets of her jeans and held out her arms to him slightly.

She became aware of his height all over again as she felt engulfed in the embrace even though it was a loose one and she wasn't sure what to do with her arms. Absently, she wondered if Alice felt this way when Rosalie hugged her, and then she thought about the logistics of Alice and Jasper hugging. Maybe she climbed him. Or he picked her up. Probably both. Some jumping on Alice's part, maybe?

A flash went off.

They broke away and Bella saw something like embarrassment on Jasper's face as Esme beamed at her camera.

"Beautiful." She smiled up at them, not minding Bella's bewildered expression or Jasper's slight discomfort at all.

Clearing his throat, Jasper bent toward Bella again for a second as they entered the living room proper. "Thank you. I look forward to possibly doing it again."

Then it dawned on Bella. He struggled the most with their diet and she, his first human friend, obviously had to trust him to accept a hug. She elbowed him lightly with a smile, hoping to make him relax. "Didn't Alice tell you I'm a teddy bear?"

"It may have been overshadowed by Rosalie's constant comparisons of you to an actual bear," Edward said as he finally made it to the bottom of the stairs. He opened and closed his mouth twice before mussing his hair. A crooked smile made an appearance. "If you're a teddy bear, may I perhaps have a hug as well?"

She didn't really care for one from him and definitely didn't want to make the one with Jasper mean less, but a commotion stopped her from speaking. As Jasper took a wide step away from her, two blurs hit Edward and then something small knocked the wind out of her. She stumbled back, arms instinctually wrapping around Alice.

Two more flashes had went off in this time.

"You small demon," Rosalie hissed as she extricated herself from the tangled mess she'd become on the floor with Edward.

Alice released Bella and stuck her tongue out at her sister.

Esme glided over to Bella, the warm smile on her face only infecting Bella and Jasper. "I truly enjoy the effect you have on my children."

Bella glanced between the grumpy duo and Esme. She just gave a thumbs up for fear of taking sides in something she didn't have all the details on.

Rosalie looked over Esme's shoulder and swiped to the other photo. She grimaced. "Edward and I vote for you to delete that."

"Please." Edward dusted himself off.

"Nay," Jasper and Alice said at once.

Esme brightened further. "Looks like you break the tie, Bella."

Mortification froze Rosalie for a few seconds. Then she moved to take the camera, but Esme tossed it to Alice.

The image was practically shoved into Bella's face. Rosalie snatched the camera with another hiss in Alice's direction. But Bella could still clearly see Edward's shocked face while Rosalie looked nothing short of pissy with his shoulder digging into her eye. Somehow, her knee had bent Edward's arm at an almost odd angle. And they hadn't even hit the floor yet.

It was forever burned on Bella's retinas.

As three grinning faces waited on her reaction and two sour ones looked anywhere but at her, Bella became aware of the hand she'd pressed firmly against her mouth to keep from laughing. She sucked in a deep breath and walked past them all to the kitchen. She sat on a stool at the counter. "Keep," she whispered into her hand.

A couple minutes later, Alice skipped into the kitchen, though her nose crinkled as she really stared at Bella. "Is that what you're wearing?"

She frowned and looked down at herself. Black Converse, dark wash jeans, black tee…The small vampire didn't have a problem with the leather jacket Leah had given her, so what was wrong with her clothes?

"You look fine, honey." Esme breezed in and squeezed her shoulder. "Dark colors look nice on you. Are you hungry?"

She almost said 'no,' but she didn't want to incur any wrath about skipping breakfast. "Uhm, hot pocket?"

Esme looked miffed, but she obliged.

"You can't wear that."

Rosalie drifted in with an expression Bella hadn't seen in a while. "Personally, I think you look like a traitor."

Bella ignored her and slapped away Alice's prodding hands. "I didn't know there was a dress code to go to the mall."

"There's not, it's just, well, it's nothing." She pulled at Bella's shirt again.

Jasper and Edward stuck their heads in the kitchen from opposite sides as Esme slid a plate in front of Bella. They spoke as one, which made the human glance at them a little oddly. "Alice firmly believes a trip to the mall is an event and one should dress accordingly."

She nodded even as Bella slapped away her hands for the second time.

Jasper smiled before leaving.

"She's insinuating you're not cute—"

"No I'm not!" Alice rounded on Edward.

"—But I disagree."

As they bickered, Bella took a bite of the still-too hot food and focused on the counter itself. She tried to mask the welling of tears in her eyes as she took another bite. Edward indirectly stating he thought she looked cute wasn't something she knew what to do with. Maybe she would've found it harmless if it wasn't for his past behavior. And some of his current behavior.

Esme pulled the hot pocket out of her hand and set it on the plate, gold eyes studying her. She produced a bottle of water.

" _You can't wear that either_."

Bella turned to see Rosalie look down her nose at Alice and cross her arms.

"Why not?"

Brown eyes took in her new outfit quickly and she looked away, almost tearing open her water. She always thought knee-high boots were stupid, but evidently she'd been _damn_ wrong. They were black, offsetting the white jeans Rosalie wore and mixing well with the light pink, off-the-shoulder shirt. Bella ignored Esme's knowing look as she took a large bite of her hot pocket.

As Alice circled her, Rosalie sighed. "Esme, please tell her to get a rabies shot or something."

"You should put on a jacket, dear."

"No," she said, rather petulantly.

"You have to wear a purse. Your wallet kills it with these jeans."

"It's a _wallet_."

"Yes, but—"

"I don't feel like it, Alice. And I'm sorry I don't live up to your mall standards."

"You didn't wear a purse last time either!"

Bella thought Rosalie actually looked a little irritated, so she intervened. "I could hold your stuff."

Three sets of gold eyes focused on her, one more intense than the others.

She coughed once to clear her throat and shifted on the stool to remove her wallet from her back pocket. She waved the item a little tentatively. "I can put what you need in here."

It was not supposed to come out like a question, and yet.

"I think it's an excellent compromise." Esme gave a pleasant smile in return to the almost thankful look Bella shot her way. As Alice pouted and Rosalie pulled out her own wallet on the way to Bella's stool, Esme chanced, "Perhaps a jacket would enhance your look?"

"No," Alice interrupted with genuine distress on her face, "It ruins the shirt. We have to start over. New outfit."

"What do you think, Bella?" Rosalie extended a few cards in the space between them, a smirk replacing her earlier annoyance.

Bella tucked away the ID and then the credit and debit card with excessive care. "I think I'm not here."

Esme tsked, matching up with Alice's sigh.

Edward came back in and Bella had never been so happy to see him as she continued to avoid the glare focused on her. He stopped next to Rosalie, ignoring her scowl, and held out six hundred dollar bills.

Bella stared at them. The beginning of a syllable left her mouth. Just as she started to cock an eyebrow at Edward's light smile, she whipped halfway around on her stool and latched onto the empty plate Esme had been trying to take away. She grimaced a little at Esme's shock.

Alice snickered.

"Uhm, I can wash it." She kept a firm grip as gentle pulls tested her resolve. "Really, it's no problem."

A whispered conversation took place between Edward and Rosalie while Esme looked between Bella and the plate. "You're a guest, dear."

"Yeah, but I can wash a dish after all you've done for me. I have two working hands and it's really not a problem. You do so much for me all the time."

Edward cleared his throat. "I advise you to let go."

With an inward sigh, Bella smiled her thanks at Esme as she released the plate. She turned back to Edward, only partially surprised that Rosalie hadn't moved an inch. It was odd to see them stand so close to each other. "So, uh, can I help you? I'm not a bank."

He started trying to put the money in her wallet even as she moved it away. "Yes, to both. I want you to purchase an item with each of us in mind and keep the excess as compensation, if it helps compel you to this." Edward mistook her stare and produced a few more hundreds from his jacket. "Does it not suffice?"

Bella snatched the six from him, glancing at Rosalie to check if there was some joke.

Rosalie at last relaxed her posture and leaned against the counter, eyes wandering around the kitchen.

"I am quite serious."

"So let me get this straight." Bella tucked it and her wallet away. She watched him hesitate with the money in his own hand for a second. "You want me to buy everyone a gift?"

He nodded in time with Rosalie.

Bella couldn't help noting for the millionth time that vampires were _odd_. Would hoping she didn't get that way be vain? She took a moment to smile at Esme as she left the kitchen. "Is this because you can't read my mind?"

"Yes." Edward almost seemed delighted that he didn't have to explain and didn't even care that Rosalie scoffed. The corner of his mouth remained quirked and his chin stayed high.

"You know, I really can't decide which of you guys is the most socially inept."

Rosalie rested her mouth against her fist and scratched at a swirl in the counter.

Edward's brow furrowed in his frown.

Awkward, because damn she didn't have to say that, Bella reached out and patted his arm. "It's okay. It's kind of cute and I'll totally do it."

Rosalie grabbed Edward's jacket as he went to hug Bella.

"Oh. Yes. My apologies."

Unable to deal with the atmosphere, Bella stuck out her hand before it could get worse. Relief filled her as he seemed reassured and didn't shake her hand for too long.

Alice spun back into the kitchen with the best timing possible. "Ta-da!"

Bella practically jumped off her stool. She approached her best friend slowly, tapping a finger to her chin.

"That's my cue," Edward said on his way to the back door. "Have fun."

Alice's seriousness matched Bella's as she circled her, observing her outfit, but then Bella gave a thoughtful hum and the vampire giggled.

Flats, black skirt and tights, white blouse and black vest, small purse slung across her torso. All of which probably costed more than everything Bella owned put together. And of course Alice rocked it. Bella stopped in front of her and more so patted her hair than her head with yet another thoughtful hum.

"Well?"

"I think you look absolutely fantastic. The angels sing about your outfit."

Alice grinned and bounced forward and back on her feet. "I decided to match you."

Bella pointed back at a bored-looking Rosalie and then at Alice's shirt. "Aren't you matching both of us?"

"I decided to match you," Alice said with more force.

"Match me you did! We're perfect." Bella fixed a wide smile on her face and even offered a thumbs up in hopes of placating her.

"Honestly, you two make me sick. I'm sure in some reality built upon my suffering, you two are disgustingly in love and I hope it makes alternate-me equally sick." Rosalie pushed off the counter and breezed past them. "I'll be in the car dying of old age as I wait for the end of this hell."

Bella saw a flicker of concern in Alice's eyes as they looked at each other, but she just gestured forward. "Are you ready to go?"

Alice grabbed her wrist and pulled her after Rosalie.

* * *

"I know you drive fast, but damn, I didn't think you could beeline here and to the mall in under an hour," Bella spoke up from the backseat. "And that's including the stop to deposit my money."

"Yes, this is why I prefer for her to only steal my car in my presence."

Alice slapped her sister's arm as she navigated into a parking spot. "We have a lot to do in so little time."

Bella stretched upon exiting the BMW, cracking her spine as she did. "It's a _mall_."

Alice hooked arms with Bella and somewhat dragged her to catch up to Rosalie and do the same with her. "Mall one of two!"

"What?"

A quiet sigh left Rosalie.

"Well, we might not have time for both. Next time, next time."

Bella shared a look with Rosalie over Alice's head. Then she pressed against Alice as two cars tried to go through their aisle. "God, we're those assholes who take up to much space. How did my life come to this? I'm someone I hate."

"Oh, hush. Save the melodramatics for Rose and Eddie. Besides, what else are we supposed to do? Rose," Alice paused to kind of crash into Rosalie, making her and Bella stumble, "would probably run away at some point if she's behind us. And you'd trail behind us and I don't trust you to not wander away."

"You could lead," Rosalie suggested as they formed a crooked line to enter the mall doors. "Or yell directions from behind us."

Even as she bounced in excitement, Alice bit her lip, obviously distrusting them.

Bella looked up at the second floor and the walkways and raised her volume over the insistent buzz of hundreds of people. "Besides, I'm pretty sure people will wonder how you're even keeping up with us on your little legs."

A small burst of laughter escaped Rosalie before she could school her face.

Alice was too busy gasping and yanking her arm away from Bella to care. "That was a low blow!"

Bella tried to wrap an arm around her shoulders, but ultimately failed because Alice pressed farther into Rosalie's space. She stuck her hands in her jeans' pockets. "As low as your line of eyesight?"

Rosalie's lips twitched as she glanced at Bella.

"Alice?"

She refused to look at her best friend.

Bella went around a small group and rejoined them in their walk. "Oh, come on."

The small vampire turned her nose up with a small sniff.

"I laughed. Why won't you free me?"

Alice patted Rosalie's arm. "Because that's what you want."

As Rosalie was steered toward a store, she shot Bella a "help me" look. Bella shrugged and glanced at the sign above before she entered. She couldn't even pronounce this place. Her nose crinkled. Why did expensive stores stink? _Maybe someone should write them a letter_ , she thought as she followed after Alice bouncing from shoe display to shoe display.

A pair of tan heels caused Rosalie's freedom, but she dutifully trailed after Alice anyway. Bella caught up to them in time to catch a look from Rosalie as Alice examined a dark green version of the same heels.

The look distinctly reminded Bella of Jasper's face on the first day of school.

Rosalie spoke just as Alice turned back to them. "Green."

Bella nodded when gold eyes landed on her. "Agreed."

Alice flagged down a well-dressed employee to give her name and preferred color and size for that pair. It made Bella roll her eyes because of course it'd ruin the look of the store to actually have merchandise out on the floor. But then a thought occurred to her and she lifted one of the display shoes. Her eye twitched at the price.

She wouldn't put those on the sales floor either.

"Clothes next, and soon," Alice said with a clap of her hands, clearly for Bella's sake. "Rose hates this store so it's just me."

Bella gave a thumbs up.

"I do need some new boots, though. I spent a lot of time thinking since the last time we were here."

Alice brightened before reminding Bella of a hummingbird as she resumed her search for shoes. She'd originally worried about keeping up, but Rosalie's casual pace suggested Alice thankfully didn't expect them to be right behind her.

"What does thinking have to do with boots?"

Rosalie glanced at her. "The places I like to think are often far. Running ruins shoes fairly quickly."

Bella bounced her palm off her forehead. "Of course." She nodded in time with Rosalie over a new pair of shoes Alice held up. "You don't seem like you like heels much. I wondered if it was because of your height but a lot of your boots have heels themselves." She pointed at Rosalie's boots for emphasis as they followed Alice to the small line at the counter.

She shrugged a shoulder with a small smile. "What can I say? She loves heels, I love boots. Not to mention boots are generally much more practical."

Alice spun around with a light stomp. "There is nothing wrong with heels!"

The woman's boyfriend ahead of them coughed, badly masking his laugh.

Rosalie shrugged.

"And what about you, Bells, what do you like? Besides, you know, paining my poor heart?"

Bella blinked under Alice's gaze. "I just like boots and high-tops."

Alice held a hand to her forehead dramatically. "What have I done in a past life to deserve this? What sins were so great, so damning?"

Rosalie scoffed even though a smile played about her lips.

"I'd apologize, but I seriously look like you guys just picked up a stray. Like, you saw me and said, 'Hey, get in the car. We need to simultaneously balance our aesthetic and have someone around to make us look even better.'" Bella stuck her hands in the pockets of her jacket and looked between them as if to make a point.

"Miss?"

Alice pointed at Bella. "You look great." Then she turned around to give her name so her merchandise could be retrieved and entered her phone number at the keypad.

During this Rosalie had shifted closer to Bella, staring down at their outfits. "You actually do balance our aesthetic, I think."

Bella's eyes got caught on the exposed skin of Rosalie's shoulder as she glanced at their opposing looks. She met amused gold eyes. A little at a loss, and unable to break eye contact, she insisted, "I look like a stray."

Rosalie moved closer again, her arm brushing against the sleeve of Bella's jacket. "We complement each other, no?"

Bella nodded vigorously as she tore away her gaze.

The next few stores took up an hour and a half, with Alice not finding anything she wanted at the first. It was comfortable, and mostly consisted of Rosalie and Bella trailing after Alice as they sometimes filled the silence with idle conversation. A somewhat dangerous determination had developed in Alice's eyes after failing to convince Bella to buy something or at least browse, but she couldn't argue it yet because Rosalie hadn't really looked at anything either.

By the time Bella was sure Alice could've picked a better pattern to visiting stores than almost crossing the mall over and over again, they entered a large one that didn't smell _too much_ like wasted money and trends that lasted a week. In this one, Rosalie finally seemed interested and Bella took possession of the three bags Alice had while they roamed the store.

Bella made a decision not to joke about how easy it was to lose Alice amongst the clothes as they bumped into each other again.

They'd left her to her own devices for the most part, and it'd been more than forty minutes when she spotted Rosalie in the distance. She wandered away from Alice again and actually let her eyes rake across the shirts she passed. A few songs completed themselves in the sole earbud she had keeping her sane before she found the sisters almost violently criticizing a dress together with small mountains of clothes on their arms.

* * *

"Ooooh, that's a keeper for sure!" Alice touched the soft fabric and nodded. "Definitely."

Rosalie's eyebrows came together. "You didn't pick this out?"

Alice moved so a woman could pass them to a changing room farther from the two they stood in front of. "No?"

Rosalie stared down at the shirt she was trying on with renewed interest. A rather dark, blue button-up with sleeves meant to be rolled just above the elbows and a somewhat wide opening that accented her collar bones if she skipped the top buttons. And the fabric felt wonderful. "It must've been when we were judging that abomination and she said she'd be back."

"She's been holding out on me!" The shock on Alice's face as she took in the shirt again was almost comical. "I feel deceived. Betrayed, even."

Rosalie disappeared into the room to put on her own shirt before shoving the ones she wanted at Alice. "I'll be back."

"If she has such good taste, why does she dress like that," Alice called after her.

She shook her head. Naturally, it wouldn't be a task to find Bella, but Rosalie had only spent a few minutes walking before she found the human already on her way back.

Bella pulled out both earbuds, looking almost nervous at the purpose in Rosalie's stride. She rolled her shoulders and adjusted her grip on Alice's bags.

"You." Rosalie pointed a finger at her as she closed in.

Bella stopped altogether with a look in her eyes that showed she considered fleeing.

Rosalie stood in front of her for a few heartbeats. Then she laughed. "Alice might actually be upset with you."

"What! Why?"

They started back toward the store. "She's having a crisis."

"But _why_?"

"Your clothes."

Bella looked down at herself for possibly the millionth time that day. She sighed. "I give up."

Rosalie smiled a little as they went around a couple. After a minute, she said, "She's right. About you being a continuous surprise."

"I'm pretty predictable."

The sight of a scowling Alice greeted them outside the store, and Rosalie chuckled at Bella's vague distress.

"Hey, Alice."

She focused on Rosalie instead and held out a bag.

"Rude," Bella muttered.

Rosalie snorted and relieved Bella of Alice's bags and then traded with the small vampire. "We're running away."

Alice sighed. "Not forever, right?"

"Who is 'we?'"

"Not forever." Rosalie nodded.

Bella huffed. "Fine. Whatever. But don't look into the future, Alice."

Gold eyes softened and grew big.

As she saw phase two of the pout going into action, Bella crossed her arms. "Promise?"

Alice stopped sticking out her lower lip and sighed. "Promise. Meanie."

Bella patted her head with a smile. She did a double-take at her side. "Later!" She trotted after Rosalie.

"Oh? You want to be around me?" She didn't slow as Bella speed-walked next to her. She echoed, "Who is 'we?'"

"Come on, Aristotle."

Rosalie eased her pace, but still didn't say anything. She listened to Bella huff and resisted a smile.

"Come on, Venus."

The quiet nature of the statement made something warm stir inside of her as she looked at Bella. "Did you say something?"

"No," Bella muttered, sticking her hands in her pockets.

"Very well."

The silence lasted almost five minutes.

"Where are we going?"

"I'm walking aimlessly. How did you know my size?"

"Oh. One of your shirts lives on my dresser, remember?"

Rosalie hummed as she followed Bella into a store focused on basically trendy "nerd" things. She rolled her eyes at a Spock mug.

"Thought you'd figure Alice put it there."

"I did until she was surprised by it."

Bella stopped at a display full of comic book merchandise and snapped her fingers. "Right. You guys are sisters. Of course you see how possible clothes look for the other."

Rosalie watched her browse. "You have a good eye."

"I know." Brown eyes looked her up and down for a second and she winked, then returned to studying a Superman shirt.

She blinked. The distinct lack of increased heartrate or blushing was not lost on Rosalie. "You're _flirting_ with me."

Bella looked up. "I'm—I'm sorry?"

"No, I." Rosalie shook her head. "It's just so regular."

"You guys need some help?"

The helpful employee made Bella jump.

"No, thank you." Rosalie's polite smile grew tight as his eyes remained focused on her. True, his gaze stayed on her face and he wasn't ugly, but she still didn't care for it, especially not when she was in the middle of something. Then his eyes moved.

"We've got some more hero merchandise over there, if you want to take a look."

Bella huffed. "No, thanks. I already know there's like zero anything about Wonder Woman."

He bit his lip for a moment, but then he brightened again. "You're right. But we do have some mugs that shift colors when it's hot or cold. Some even have messages on them so you can get them as a gift, maybe? Or spoil yourself." He ducked off to a table a few feet away and returned with one whose box clearly showcased it said "Beautiful" in big letters.

"We're good. Thanks again."

Rosalie regarded Bella. "Are you hungry?"

And then Rosalie was walking with her to the food court. It passed in a haze as she got lost in thought until Bella took a sharp right to enter a store that gave Rosalie pause. Still, she followed, eyes sweeping over what she would definitely classify as beauty products as Bella dodged an employee. Bella grabbed an item and then a second on the way to the register while Rosalie was a little impressed with her efficiency. Altogether, the detour took maybe two minutes.

Bella must've felt her eyes as they stood in line for Chinese food because she huffed and jerked her shoulders after she paid. As they searched for a table, she said, "I've been meaning to get replacements since, like, September, but coming all the way out here just for the store seemed damn tedious. I was ready to do it anyway, but then Alice asked Charlie about coming."

Rosalie hummed, setting down her bag at their selected table. "It was a little shocking to not see you blink at a total over forty dollars."

And then Bella actually surprised the vampire into freezing up as she whipped off her jacket and set it where Rosalie was about to sit. After Bella dropped herself onto the bench without a hint of grace, Rosalie slowly sat on her jacket. Next to her. "This was not necessary for you to do."

Bella made a noise in her throat while she sipped her drink. "You're brave enough to wear white jeans. You're either sitting in your car or on my jacket."

"There's nothing on this bench."

"They're _white_." Bella stabbed a piece of chicken with her fork, muttering, "Women."

Normally, Rosalie would've made a biting comment, but Bella had left her a little disoriented. "You'll get cold."

As if on cue, even though her heart kicked up a little, Bella slid closer on the bench and adjusted herself so that they were in contact from the knee down and their arms brushed against each other. "Oh, no. We'll have to share body heat to stay warm."

"Bella, I'm dead."

"Shut the fuck up, Rosalie. God." Bella sipped her drink and cleared her throat. "Oh, no. We'll have to share body heat to stay warm."

A small smile pulled at her lips despite her resistance. Rosalie hadn't wholly known what to expect upon entering a relationship with Bella, but she figured there would be an awkward period of adjustment. Of course, she'd always appreciated the casual confidence that Bella had displayed before, but apparently romantically interested-Bella proved to be wildly different from relationship-Bella. It hadn't even been a whole day. Yet here she was, sitting next to Bella as opposed to across from her—on Bella's jacket, no less. Feeling the warmth of Bella actually against her body. Rosalie had no complaints. She very much looked forward to getting to know her mate on this level.

"Too much?"

Torn out of her thoughts, Rosalie tilted her head slightly.

Brown eyes glanced at their proximity.

"Oh, no. If you recall, I ruined our pacing already because you evidently make a joke of my self-control with no effort."

Bella just rolled her eyes, unknowingly leaving Rosalie a little miffed. "If you want, I could put in effort."

A pang of excitement warmed Rosalie's chest, called to the vampire in her. Still, she dropped her eyes to the table and simply hummed.

"And so we cycle back to me saying curiosity killed the cat, only for you to point out satisfaction brought it back. And then you still don't make a decision."

In what she considered a moment of terrible weakness, she asked, "Might I make the decision later?"

"Of course."

Rosalie propped her cheek on her fist and started to absently trace the scars littering Bella's arm. Gold eyes flicked to Bella's face, seeing that she continued to just eat her food. "Are you still having nosebleeds and headaches?"

As another piece of chicken was speared by Bella's fork, she rolled her eyes with a smile that didn't make sense. "Nosebleed-free for a few days now."

"And your headaches?"

"I have headaches often, so that one's harder to answer. I guess they're the same. As usual, I mean."

Her fingers paused halfway down one scar. "How often?"

Bella chewed slowly and reached for her drink. "I think it'd be easier if I just let you know whenever I don't have a headache. I'm so used to them I forget when I'm even having one sometimes."

"Do you have one now?"

"Yup." She straightened and genuinely looked at Rosalie. "It's okay. Just my habit of not sleeping, I guess." Then she almost angrily eyed her bag for a moment. "My expensive habit."

Rosalie quirked an eyebrow, allowing her mate to lighten the mood.

Bella gestured to her eyes while sifting through her rice for another piece of chicken. "The under-eye roll-y thing keeps me from looking dead. Plus all the caffeine I consume adds up. At least it doubles for making my headaches less shitty."

She thought about Bella's total in the store. "What else did you get?"

"This moisturizer that, thankfully, works wonders for my oil levels and keeps me from breaking out from the stress of everyone I know." In the silence, she looked up from her food and even though her cheeks tinted pink, she huffed at Rosalie's staring. "Alice might not think it's possible, but I can give a damn about how I look without dressing like you guys."

Rosalie's fingers resumed their idle mapping of scars. She used the action to give herself time to decide to say something a little open. "I'm aware of that. It's just that you interest me, always."

"Damn if I know why."

She ignored the comment. "Personally, I look forward to you not looking like a zombie."

"Mm, yes. How dare I make you look bad by not being at my best."

Rosalie gave her arm a light slap. "Tell me if you have a bad headache and talk to Carlisle again if your nosebleeds continue."

"Yes, ma'am," Bella muttered as she busied herself with dividing the remains of her food into bites.

"How's Leah?"

Bella's shoulders immediately sagged and she tossed down her fork. "She's better and worse. Her dad isn't really talking to her or even acknowledging her existence and it's causing fights between her parents."

"That's terrible."

"Yeah and Leah's more of a pariah because apparently she refused Sam as her alpha and it shouldn't be possible but it happened? She doesn't go to a lot of meetings with the elders for obvious reasons. Seth, her little brother, is acting out because he doesn't know what the fuck's going on with his family. He got in a fight a few days ago."

Rosalie frowned. "How is she better?"

"Well instead of sitting around being depressed together, we actually do stuff."

She watched Bella gather her trash for a moment. "Speaking of…" And then brown eyes were on her, understanding the seriousness of her tone. After she'd calmed down about it all, she'd thought about how to approach this for at least a week now. She didn't want to approach it like Edward would have, like she originally felt the need to. Like an angry, controlling ass. "Don't go into the forest unless you're with her. Especially at night. Please promise me."

Yet again Rosalie was shocked as Bella laughed, except the sound utterly lacked humor and she could hear Bella's heart thump just a little harder.

"I wouldn't dream of it." Bella raised an eyebrow at her. "Didn't you guys think I underreacted to the vampire thing?"

"You know very well that I did." Rosalie watched Bella run her palms on her jeans, gaze growing distant. She refrained from saying anything else.

"I stopped visiting Charlie and we'd go to California during the summers instead because I bitched my ass off about the weather in Forks when I was nine. That is _not_ why." Bella fidgeted with her straw as she stared down at it. "It was one of those times Renèe stayed a day or two so she and Charlie could at least be civil or whatever and make sure I was okay. Anyway, we're having a picnic or something? I don't remember. I remember wandering away because I was a kid and kids are pricks."

Rosalie snorted.

"Well it's true!" Then Bella's smile faded away again. "Anyway. So I'm lost—"

"Because you're a prick."

"Absolutely. I'm lost because I'm a prick and I wouldn't stop walking because I felt like something was staring at me. I still feel the need to just walk forever when I feel anxious so imagine prick-me with less common sense and imagine how far I got."

Rosalie laid her hand on Bella's leg to ease its wild bouncing. "Something called out to you."

"Yes!" Bella looked at her, blinking away the wetness in her eyes. "I hear Renèe call out, 'Bells, come here! I was so worried!' Except Renèe never in my whole fucking life called me Bells and usually got pissy any time Charlie called me that because she 'didn't give birth to a bunch of bells.' And fuck the fact her voice just kept getting farther away. I didn't even look. I just ran in the opposite direction. Fake-Renèe is calling after me and the voice starts, like, breaking down, like a song edited and distorted and shit. I can hear something following me, from far away, like in bursts? Whatever. It stopped once I could hear Charlie and Renèe calling for me. I actually ran right past them and kept going," Bella finished with a nervous laugh. Her leg finally stopped bouncing.

Rosalie squeezed her mate's thigh gently. "It seems I should stop joking that you're defective."

Her words elicited a smile from Bella. "Told you I'm not into dying. Probably still defective, though."

For nearly a minute, Rosalie struggled with an instinct. She settled for giving Bella another squeeze. "I can't express how relieved I am nothing happened to you and it's reassuring to know I don't have to worry about you traipsing through the forest."

"Not without something supernatural that likes me, nope. Not doing it." Bella rolled her shoulders, an action Rosalie had started recognizing as Bella processing something or moving on. "Ready?"

Rosalie nodded.

* * *

Even as they drove up the long road to the Cullen house, Alice pouted. She'd been pouting for hours. Rosalie had become grumpy when being asked to wait outside some stores while Bella went inside to fulfill Edward's request, but she got over it after the fifth store. Alice, however, only got worse with time. She couldn't look in the future or in Bella's bags, despite having asked over a dozen times once they were all going around the mall together again. The fact Bella had bags inside of bags _inside of more bags_ just to mess with her guesses might've made Alice appreciate her best friend's understanding of her on a regular day, but that day was not today.

At least Alice's poor mood raised Rosalie's. She lingered with Bella as she transferred her bags into her truck while Alice went into the house. "Did you have fun?"

"Hard not to have fun with you guys." Originally, Bella felt a little delusional and vain for thinking Rosalie didn't want to be away from her. But that started to change as she realized just how close the vampire was, leaning against her truck. "You didn't look like you suffered too much."

"It was alright, I suppose."

Rolling her eyes, Bella bumped shoulders with Rosalie before heading toward the house.

Edward swept the door open in horribly masked impatience. He smiled politely. "Nice to see you intact after a stressful outing with Alice. Did you happen to find something for everyone?"

"Maybe." To Rosalie's amusement and the genuine surprise of Edward, Bella pushed on him with one hand and made a shooing gesture with her other to get him out the doorway. "I'll give 'em out before I leave for break. No time to argue, I'm not staying long."

Bella heard the smallest puff of air from Rosalie next to her and bit her cheek to keep from smiling. She was generally trying to play it cool, but it kept proving to be a hard task, what with feeling like she was on cloud nine. The shift in Rosalie since they'd gotten together yesterday was tentative and subtle, barely there. Just the embodiment of Rosalie. But she definitely noticed. And she _loved_ it.

"Am I hearing that we're having a family night where you're handing out gifts?"

As Esme glided down the stairs, Bella smiled and moved to meet her halfway in the living room. "Yup!" And then she was awkward the moment Esme got close, looking away from the warm smile offered to her. She rubbed the back of her neck while fishing something out her jacket pocket. "I only came in because I thought you might want to fuss at it or me or maybe keep it for some library of memories you might have. I—excuse me—almost broke my ass because of this."

A puzzled crease formed on Esme's brow and she held out her hand, waiting for Bella to surrender the item.

Her patience might have been endless, but as a light blush came to Bella's face and she even forgot to breathe, Rosalie elbowed her.

Bella opened her hand, depositing the item into Esme's.

A flash went off.

Edward gave Alice a thumbs up and the smaller vampire nodded. Their teamwork immortalized the moment, perfectly capturing the soft surprise on Esme's face.

Esme, who still hadn't moved.

It was reassuring, the way the other vampires smiled, but the fact Esme still stared down at the rock half the size of her palm made Bella nervous. The tears forming in Esme's eyes didn't help. "I—"

She grunted, having been pulled a little roughly off the ground and into Esme's arms. But this was something she knew how to deal with, as Alice had given her a lot of practice. She squeezed Esme as hard as she could, and wheezed a little as she was squeezed in return.

Another flash went off and she considered that she should just come to expect an ungodly amount of pictures in her future.

Feet on the floor once more, Bella did her best to breathe in slowly instead of take in as much oxygen as possible after not being able to breathe for part of the hug.

Esme dusted off Bella's shoulders and adjusted her jacket as she cleared her throat. "I'm sorry, dear. Are you alright? I didn't mean to, well, clearly I did, but—"

Bella reached up and squeezed Esme's wrists with a smile.

Her easy happiness returned to her again. "Thank you, dear. I'll let you go about your business."

The sudden disappearance of the vampire made Bella blink. As much as she was maybe getting used to their antics, Esme hardly ever did such things around her. She raised an eyebrow at Rosalie, who stepped back.

Alice crashed into her, and really, honestly, Bella should've seen it coming. Her back cracked.

"I'll see you later!"

Treasuring sweet, sweet air again once she was free, Bella patted Alice's head. "You know it. Good night, okay? I love you."

"I love you too." Alice bounced before darting away. "I'll start planning our next trip!"

As Bella groaned, Rosalie said, "I'll walk you out."

It wasn't lost on her that it almost sounded like a question. Still, they walked out, the night surrounding them, and a now-familiar contentment settled into Bella. So, without thought, she asked if Rosalie wanted to join her for the ride. In the moonlight, Bella could see a small smile and it brought one to her own face.

Sure enough, Rosalie climbed into the truck with her.

Bella whistled absently as she drove. She didn't want to be away from Rosalie, but their new dynamic was something she wanted to explore, to revel in. To drown in as much as possible like some kind of damnable drug. Except, she already felt clingy and wanted to smash her face on the steering wheel just to knock some sense into herself.

 _It's only been one day, Swan. Get a grip._

"Emmett took to collecting rocks for Esme about twenty years ago, I think. Either way, she has entire chests full of rocks."

Bella drummed her fingers on the steering wheel. She'd accidentally reminded everyone of Emmett, and it probably hit Esme the hardest. But the hug seemed incredibly genuine. "Should I turn around and apologize?"

"Only if you want to upset Esme."

She cursed under her breath and made a turn. Sighing, she said, "She really has a thing for keepsakes, huh?"

"Yes. I'm starting to understand it."

When Bella glanced at Rosalie, she was staring out her window, just watching the trees go by. Still, Bella got the feeling she understood anyway. She did, after all, have a rock on her dresser.

Pulling into her driveway, Bella was quick to hop out and stretch. Something occurred to her as her shoulder popped. "Fuck!"

"What?" Coming around the truck, Rosalie's eyes swept over her for an indicator of something being amiss. She cocked an eyebrow. "Did you magically hurt yourself again?"

"No and I resent that you even asked. I, like the idiot I am, signed you up to vamp your way home." Her gaze fell to the heels of Rosalie's boots.

Rosalie waved a hand. "I was fully aware of my attire when I agreed to accompany you."

Bella eyed her. Reading Rosalie was still something she worked toward mastering every day, but she definitely seemed awkward right now as she leaned against the truck maybe half a foot away, looking up the street. At the very least she made Bella feel awkward. And that made Bella want to smack her head on her truck because Rosalie obviously wanted something and debated it with herself. Bella had dragged herself into this situation, one that was not hard to guess at.

Unbidden, unwanted, _despised_ , a blush began heating Bella's cheeks.

Her traitorous heart pretended she was running a marathon.

A desperate part of her wished Charlie would come outside.

The rest of her couldn't stop coming to a thought and just going blank. Incomprehensible. Impossible. Rosalie Hale was a living goddess under moonlight. Shining hair and a certain gentleness to her created by the simple magnificence of anger being absent from her face. No, no anger at all. Just the thoughtful expression dissolving to a soft one Bella only saw when they were alone.

As Rosalie's gaze slid back to her, Bella focused on…something. Nothing. She wasn't seeing anything. She swallowed. Cleared her throat. Considered running into her house like a whackjob. She clenched and unclenched her jaw with the passionate wish she could wipe the awkward half-smile off her face.

Maybe she was hallucinating. Maybe she wasn't with Rosalie fucking Hale. Maybe that was some weird, wish-fulfillment type of delusion her brain constructed.

Somehow that proved more terrifying and she needed some certainty that she wasn't batshit crazy. Her mouth didn't give her brain time to think it over. "I adore you."

Rosalie took that small step into her space, right hand coming to rest on Bella's hip. Smiling softly, she used a finger to tilt up her mate's chin so they'd have eye contact. She politely ignored the small squeak her actions caused as Bella sucked in a shallow breath. "I adore you too."

"That's great."

Amusement danced in Rosalie's golden eyes, but she spared Bella further embarrassment, choosing not to comment on her nervous response. "I like the way the bones and shit in your face come together."

The familiar words pulled a soft laugh from Bella, even if it was a small one. Some god somewhere smiled on her and gave her the motor skills to tentatively place her hands on Rosalie's hips. The cold seeped into her palms and she tried to focus on it and ground herself.

Except then Rosalie was already moving.

Bella's heart beat harder than it ever had in her entire life and a vacant part of her mind questioned if she was actually breathing or just taking in small, quick breaths.

Vampires were hard, seemingly indestructible. They could crush boulders with ease and snuff out a life like it never existed.

But Rosalie Hale, in this moment, only felt soft to Bella.

Soft and impossibly close and inches away from kissing her.

Rosalie's hair brushed against her cheek.

Bella fainted.

* * *

 **A/N:** -runs from pitchforks- Ayyy haha poor Bella. Same, though, tbh. More awkward/confident Bella to come and courting ayyy. And Phoenix, but still. I'll just go now and probably get hyped by firenubs to blaze through the next chapter.

 **Ghost:** Don't worry, the squirrels will happen lol

 **Sammeh:** Your review made me smile for so many reasons. I'm glad you decided to give Black Star a try. "Edward is like an oblivious frat boy without the frat life" is a wonderful sentence.

 **RR:** I take that as a compliment, it's just what Rose and Edward do to each other, I guess. I think you can tell I like for everyone to seem like an actual person. Ah! I was counting on you to notice these things. Yes, Angela is the first among Bella's friends to suspect she has a thing for Rose and Jess is being protective of Bella. More on that next chapter. I feel like Jasper contains himself less than the others and makes people more uncomfortable and afraid so they do the standard human thing and ignore him for the most part. Again, more on that next chapter, I promise.


	21. Whispers of Fate

**A/N:** Okay so a lot of life shit happened. I'll be getting to PMs the next few days. Bless firenubs for being supportive when I doubted this chapter. Also, Alice crashing the Phoenix trip and the rest of the Cullens following suit was my favorite guess.

To address concerns, Bella's healthy, she just had migraines and nosebleeds as a result of flipping her shield on Edward for a week. She is also 100% human lmao -looks at Paige in particular- but yes, the supernatural does kind of like her. You'll see. Oh and the rock Bella gave Esme was one she tripped on, that's all. Idk what my thing with rocks is, RR.

Guest who mentally prepared for feels, I hope you did enough because goddamn I think there are too many. Oh, and about Emmett?

So I, personally, think there's an iconic moment in this chapter and I just love it so damn much.

* * *

The day was pretty regular so far except for Jessica descending on her as soon as she got out of her truck about ten minutes ago, flanked by Mike and Angela. Just a regular Monday otherwise. Of course this only worked if she blocked out the way Alice laughed at her from the Cullen parking spots and how she caught a smug grin from Rosalie that Jasper somewhat echoed. And she definitely blocked that out. She'd also tuned out Mike as he put some textbooks into his locker and rifled through his backpack, complaining about…something. A class, maybe.

"I explained that to you twice. You weren't listening either time." Angela looked over her glasses at Mike, who had the decency to look ashamed.

"You know him," Jessica laughed a little nervously, "Just cute and oblivious."

Rolling her eyes, Bella shook her head. Poor girl was practically slapping him in the face with hints now. _Is it a hint if it's obvious?_

Something hard made Bella stumble into the lockers, grunting.

"What the fuck!"

Bella followed Jessica's gaze and scowled at blonde hair disappearing down the hallway in the crowd of students. "I'll fight you, Hale!" She missed Angela's curious gaze as she rubbed her shoulder and focused on a slack-jawed Mike.

"What'd you do to piss her off?"

"What's that bitch's problem? I thought she was supposed to be your 'friend' or something? Actually, you know what? What's wrong with all of them? Like. What the _fuck_?" Jessica poked Bella's shoulder as if that'd tell her that her friend was okay.

"Nah. Guys. Everything's fine."

" _Oh_ , so they just—" A strangled noise left Jessica as Mike touched her shoulder and she dropped her hands to her sides. Her face, however, still held some anger and confusion.

"Maybe Rosalie is having a bad day?"

Mike and Jessica looked at Angela, but Bella just shook her head, scowl returning to her face. "She's having a great day. Trust me."

* * *

Some alarms had been going off for Bella for a while now. Alice didn't appear in-between periods, Jasper looked like he was suppressing a laugh when she saw him in history, and Edward hadn't awkwardly popped up after second period to weirdly—though it was becoming somewhat endearing—ask if she fell asleep during class. She also didn't see a single sign of Rosalie.

All in all, she was relieved when it came time for lunch. Because food fixed everything. So she naturally glared daggers at Jessica for leading her away from the line.

"Don't even start."

"You started, I'll finish," Bella snapped. She looked at where she was being led and had to pull in her hostility at the sight of Mike and Angela sitting alone at a table. "Why couldn't this wait till we all got food? Or at least me?"

Angela slid a cookie over to Bella once they sat, smiling at her grumpy friend. "I voted in favor of food."

"Me too." Mike stared longingly at the cookie Bella nibbled on.

"Well, too fucking bad. We're having a meeting."

It seemed more like an intervention and the thought made her glance past students at Edward, thinking back on the joke she'd made about having one before. She absently wondered what new jokes could spawn from this while Jessica shushed Mike about food again.

"So what's going on?"

"An act of friendship," Angela answered. "Possibly misplaced."

Bella held her gaze, but she couldn't discern the double-meaning she sensed. Or, at least, she couldn't be sure of it.

"Okay. So, like. You're weird, really weird—"

"I feel so loved."

"—But," Jessica glared, "But we're friends and that means being there for each other, even if we don't like it or react badly."

Mike nodded.

"Okaaaay." Bella looked between them.

Mike, being Mike, saved Jessica from her awkward fumbling for how to begin, and blurted, "Alice sucks."

"The fuck, Mike? That is _not_ what we talked about!"

Angela shared a tired look with Bella.

Jessica clapped a hand over his mouth the moment he opened it again. She fixed a surprisingly serious expression on Bella. "It's not cool how she's treating you. Like, she used you _as a chair_ last week and just drags you around and holds your hand and kisses your cheek sometimes and she has a boyfriend. One she's been with for years. What about him? Even if she's tired of him, this isn't cool. I mean sure, he's even weirder than you but that doesn't mean he deserves—"

Brown eyes widened as Jessica talked faster and faster. The girl's anxiety infected Bella and she started bouncing her leg, trying to understand why Jessica's mouth was running a marathon and why Mike wasn't looking at any of them and why Angela had leaned just a little bit away from her.

Then she remembered that the last time someone said something negative about Alice to her face she gave them a black eye. Bella latched onto the last thing she'd processed, speaking in the calmest voice she could muster. "Have you ever talked to him?" She watched Jessica resemble a fish.

"Who?" Mike asked.

"Jasper."

"Uhm. No." Jessica fidgeted "But—"

"He's nice."

Bella nodded at Angela's words. "Jasper's actually not someone I'd describe as weird. Or quirky. Alice, sure, but that's just Alice."

Jessica eyed her so long that she shrugged. Seeing that there wouldn't be a hostile reaction, she continued, though she still stared at Bella a little anxiously. "So, about Alice. I know you're gay and she's…whatever she is, but uhm." She looked at the surrounding tables, even leaning around Mike, "Did you know Valerie likes you? Valerie is nice. And not weird."

"Who?" Bella looked around like Jessica had. Her brain didn't place the name to any of the faces she saw.

Angela laughed.

"God, are you fucking serious? You can't be as dumb as Mike just 'cause you're gay."

"Hey!"

Rubbing the back of her neck, Bella felt eyes on her and saw a few sets of amused gold staring across the cafeteria. Definite affection lurked in one of them. "Am I supposed to know who that is?"

Jessica slapped her hands to her face and braced her elbows on the table. "My god."

Mike cleared his throat. "The chick with green eyes and glasses that giggles a lot." When Bella stared at him blankly, he jerked his head to the left. "Valerie. You have two periods with her…? Biology is one."

"I don't notice shit in Biology except Edward, honestly."

If she looked at the Cullen table, she would've seen him beaming while Rosalie and Alice rolled their eyes.

"Him too!" Jessica slammed her hands down on the table.

Bella cocked an eyebrow. "You think Edward has a crush on me too?"

"No." Angela reached across the table to pat Jessica's hand while she waited on Bella's gaze. "Val's in gym with you, too."

"She tries to fucking hold your hand! She's planning how to ask you out!"

Bella leaned back, even scooting her chair away from Jessica's outburst. "I'm, uh, a little, a lot oblivious." She waved her hands in front of her when Jessica's eye twitched. "Look, I've never believed someone wanted to be with me, okay? It's a fucking mystery to me. I actually looked some girl in the eyes in Phoenix and said, 'God, I'm sorry. _Why_ though?' when she said something to me. Like, have you met me?"

Jessica threw Angela a look between tired and annoyed. "Why are we friends with Isabella Swan again?"

They got sidetracked and Bella realized she could feel a glare or two burning a hole in the side of her head. She crossed her arms and resolutely avoided looking anywhere near the direction of the Cullens. "Uh, so what about Edward?"

"—He's not so great either." Jessica had quickly dropped whatever she was saying before for this and crossed her arms. "All he did was piss you off and you guys even got into a bad argument in the parking lot. You guys act cool now, but I don't believe it. Especially with you and Rosalie. Ugh, that bitch." She looked for agreement from her friends and continued on when she didn't get any aside from a small nod from Mike. "How the fuck does she just show up and, and, show up and, shit."

"Dictate."

"How does she show up and dictate your time? Like what the fuck? She's _supposedly_ your friend but _publicly controls_ your time and tells you to fuck off and shoves you into a locker? I say fuck all the Cullens."

Bella looked between her friends. "And you guys say?"

Mike scratched his temple and nodded, maybe more to himself than them. "You like Alice. Alice likes you. I say we, uh, make her jealous so she chooses you over Jasper. Ya know?"

Feeling Bella's eyes on her, Angela shrugged, studying Bella. "I'm here for your well-being. Like I said, I think this is misplaced."

"It is, because I don't have feelings for Alice. Well, not gay ones. And besides, Jasper's my friend."

"You're in some deep denial, dude."

"You're like a fucking Christmas tree when Alice comes around! As Christmas tree as you can get, anyway. You know, for a grumpy asshole." Jessica gestured vaguely. "And, like, you're as touchy with her as she is with you and you act like a damn goblin about touching people. You can't tell me you don't at least want to hit that."

Bella's mouth started falling open and her heart beat irregularly, distressed. Her vision dimmed, sound seemed like she was underwater. A knot of hot and cold formed in her stomach. It rose up her throat no matter how much she swallowed. She kept desperately swallowing back it and excess saliva.

"Shit, are you okay?" Mike snapped his fingers in front of her.

Alice was absolutely sexually active, and most likely had been for a long time. She was an old vampire who had a mate for some time, after all. A mate who was rather tall while she was _short_.

"Bella?"

Alice, who was a living ray of sunshine and mirth and silliness, probably had a lot of sex.

Air hit her face in waves and she blinked, focusing on the world around her again. She snatched the folder from Angela's hand and violently fanned herself, fighting back the sickness in her stomach. Her mind kept conjuring images and her only blessing was the lack of sound. She tried to think of something else, anything else. Of math, of Charlie's mustache, of her mother rambling about her day. Of Edward's face.

"I _told_ you Bella didn't have a crush on Alice," Angela muttered as she touched a hand to her friend's forehead.

"Okay, but, like, you know we have every reason to think so! I didn't know she'd want to fucking vomit about fucking—"

"Shh! No! Don't talk about that. Please." Bella swallowed heavily, still fanning herself. "Like, ever. Alice is my adorably weird, small, cute best friend and she is precious and should be protected."

"Well," Jessica said awkwardly before clearing her throat. "The Cullens still suck."

Bella took a deep breath as she handed back the folder. "Edward and I had some differences in opinion to work through. We did."

"So you guys are friends now?" Mike glanced behind him toward the Cullen table.

"Yeah. Yeah, I think it'd suck if he died."

Jessica shot her a look. "Wow. I don't even want to know how you feel about me."

Angela, however, smiled. "You said Jasper's your friend? So then he obviously doesn't have a problem with you and Alice, hm? You two aren't exactly private with your affections."

A snort tore out of Jessica at the word "private" while Mike laughed.

"Nope." Bella popped the last syllable and leaned back in her chair, kicking up her foot on one of the supports under the table.

"So that's all but one, then." Angela's gaze studied Bella in a way that made her stare back.

"Yes," Jessica said tiredly. "Explain away that bitch too. I can't wait."

Before Bella could say anything, she heard a round of laughter from the Cullen table and scowled, leaning around her friends to stare at them. Rosalie's smug-ass face apparently threw Bella's reason out the window. Blushing, she made an ill-thought out decision and shouted across the cafeteria, "Hey! Fuck you! You're gorgeous and I'm out of practice, okay?"

Instead of staring at the Cullens, a majority of the room now stared at her, including her friends.

"Bella, what the fuck?"

Mike raised his eyebrows. "Dude, you sure you don't like Alice? It, uh, seems a lot like it."

"You make me say that too much. I need new friends. God, Bella, you're so damn _weird_. What the fuck was that about?"

"Who were you yelling at?"

Cheeks still red, Bella blinked dumbly at Angela's too-perfect question and too-thoughtful eyes. She couldn't explain because that meant admitting she'd fainted instead of kissing Rosalie and they might've thought she was lying anyway. And she couldn't lie because either that meant she perpetuated the idea of liking Alice or something equally crazy because she was stupid enough to yell to a third of the school that someone at the Cullen table was gorgeous.

"God, Ange, it's obviously Alice. She's still fucking laughing away over there. Who else would it be? _Rosalie fucking Hale_? Don't be ridiculous. Bella just—she—Bella, do you," Jessica dragged a hand down her face. She leaned forward, whispering, her cheeks slowly tinting with a blush, "Bella, do you just not like the idea of sex? Are you, like, scared of it or something? I know I'm, like, you know, nervous about it, I guess, but—"

"Oh, no. This is over." Bella stood up and pointed behind herself. "I'm going somewhere and pretending this never happened. I'm not into Alice. Good talk. Thanks. Bye."

* * *

The next day she was still hanging up on Rosalie's smug phone calls and digging a deep grave of denial about her fainting incident even as she raised her hand to knock.

Jacob swung the door open and walked back into the living room without a word.

She briefly considered running off to her truck and driving away. But that didn't happen. She just closed the door behind herself before settling near him on the couch. The lack of a smile on his usually bright face made Bella's palms start to sweat. "What's wrong, Jake?"

He eyed what used to be Leah's jacket. "Oh, I don't know. Found out my best friend is leaving the state from someone else."

Bella winced. With a cough, she pulled a beanie from her pocket and set it on his leg. "I'm sorry. I'm still hoping to somehow not go. This is what I said I'd get you."

A smile twitched at his lips at the sight of his name decorating a side of it, but he kept it off his face. "Over two months ago? While I've seen you five or six times and Leah's your new buddy."

She ran her palms down her jeans. Her leg started to bounce. "I'm her kidnapping victim." Damn, she'd never been good at these things, but this was probably a new low for her.

"Alice kidnapping you too?" Jacob thumbed through the channels on the TV.

"Yes."

"How is she?"

"Great, I love her." Definitely a new low. Also, she was definitely Charlie's daughter. "She's a nuisance."

A wry smile twisted part of his face and his thumb hit the button a little harder. "Cool, so nuisances and kidnappers rank higher than me."

"Jake—"

"Don't 'Jake' me, Bella. Just don't."

It wasn't fair. To either of them. Sure, that was life, but still. The fact was he had a thing for her that wasn't showing signs of dying and she didn't know how to cope with those things aside from kind of hiding away. "It's not about rank, Jake."

"You think I don't know that you rank people, Bella?"

"Not the important ones."

He settled on some random channel with a commercial playing about a mystical garden hose that would survive the apocalypse. "So what is it, then?"

"It." Her leg bounced anew. She knew Jacob. She knew herself. This wasn't something they could talk about without it getting ugly and it pressed on their friendship like an ominous raincloud. She still hoped the skies would just clear up. "I'm shitty, Jake. You know that."

He snorted.

She ignored it. "I'm shitty and my life is changing and I'm still adjusting and I. I'm expecting to wake up one day and everything will be like it was when I got to Forks and then I'll cry because what a sick joke. I'm ready to cry every day because this is so surreal to me. I still can't believe anything."

Jacob finally looked at her, his deep eyes letting softness show. "Bella—"

"Do you know how fucking weird it is, how fucking, just, I don't know. All of it. I'm learning what a mom is? And I've never needed one so why the fuck am I so worried about her opinion of me? I can do fine by myself. I've always been fine by myself!" Bella blinked back the tears in her eyes and ran a hand through her hair. She stared at the TV without seeing it.

Slowly, he sighed. Jacob got to a knee on the couch and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, pulling her face to his chest.

"I'm scared to be by myself again."

The muffled sentence made him freeze for a second. Then he sighed again and started to pet her hair. "That's normal, Bells."

"I'm not her kid. And Alice lives a hundred miles an hour, I don't know how she's not bored of me."

Jacob nodded. "You are pretty meh."

She didn't even argue it, just sighed. "What if Leah doesn't wanna be around me anymore when she's not so angry and not so sad anymore?" She closed her eyes, whispering, "What if she's just playing a game with me?"

"What? Leah's too impatient to play games."

"No. I. It doesn't matter. I know she wouldn't do that, it's just me and my stupid view of myself and shit. You know my brain."

His nose crinkled and he wasn't up to date on her life, not really, but he knew he missed something. Slowly, he said, "Alice wouldn't do that to you. I could see in her eyes she cares about you."

"What if you don't wanna be around me after?" Bella pulled away from him, rubbing her eyes.

He watched her as he settled back down next to her, trying to find some words that would help. But Bella was Bella and moved through things like they'd drown her if she lingered too long.

"How's that bike coming along?"

"You wanna see?"

Bella hopped off the couch with a grin that didn't entirely match her eyes and Jacob echoed it. He pulled on the beanie, raising an eyebrow and holding his arms wide. She snorted and adjusted it before patting his cheek. Maybe they were kind of pretending, sweeping things under a rug that they'd later trip on, but at least they could just enjoy each other's company as she followed him to the garage. She listened to him recount his adventures in repairing the motorcycle so far with a sense of relief in her chest.

* * *

Brown eyes peeled halfway open. No, she wasn't in a lake that was somehow bottomless with large lizard people dragging her to the bottom that didn't exist. Bella reached over and pulled her alarm clock near her face. The red numbers seared her eyes with the information it was 2:11 in the morning. She'd fallen asleep _maybe_ three hours ago. She let it go and it slid off her bed, whacking against the night stand while she fumbled for her vibrating phone.

She swiped without looking, dropping her face into the pillow. A noise like a grunt and an expression of sadness left her.

" _Alice said you were awake and I'm realizing that was a lie just as I suspected._ "

Whether it was because of the words or the lack of egotistical bitchiness for the first time in days, Bella hummed.

Rosalie clearly hesitated.

Brown eyes closed. "You can always call me. I won't be bothered."

" _Is that why you keep hanging up on me?_ "

She made a sound in the back of her throat as she rolled onto her side, setting the phone against her ear and hoping it'd stay in place. "No, it's because you were being a smug ass bitch."

A self-satisfied noise came through.

"Are you okay?"

Her casual question made her reopen her eyes as if she could see Rosalie's face. That subtle surprise. The parting of lips she could barely detect, gold eyes widening ever so slightly, a vague softness coming over Rosalie's expression. Bella's tired mind grew alert. She knew Rosalie wasn't exactly okay. The vampire seemed to be snapping at her siblings more often during school the past few days and Bella felt her eyes more often than usual. It'd taken her until dinner with a grumpy Charlie that night to realize it all got worse as time went on, as it got closer to her trip to Phoenix.

Rosalie Hale was going to miss her.

" _I'm never anything short of perfect, in case you've forgotten._ "

"Mm, I know. What's up?"

" _Esme's fretting over the 'family night' being tonight or Thursday._ "

The irritation in Rosalie's voice made her smile. She stretched and bit back a yawn. "Today? Then we can chill the night before I leave." Bella felt thankful she was too sleepy to be nervous or acknowledge that she was asking instead of stating.

Then she cocked an eyebrow at her ceiling. She rolled out of bed. Before, she might've thought she hallucinated the noise, but she'd gotten used to this.

Rosalie, however, was not, and obviously listened for the result of it.

Bell slid open her window and, shivering at the sudden cold, glared down at the wide smile she could see in the moonlight. "Did you forget your phone?"

" _Ah. Stray dog._ "

Leah patted her pocket and gestured for Bella to move.

"You could've _texted_ me instead of throwing rocks at my window like a dumb boy, you know."

"Shut up and move or get moved. I won't pay your hospital bills."

" _What a loving friendship you two share._ "

"Shut up, Rosalie," they both said.

Bella rolled her eyes, just imagining the vampire's sour expression, and retreated to her dresser. "There are too many people in my—" Leah could apparently jump high enough to latch onto the windowsill and haul herself into the room. Scowling, Bella continued, refusing to acknowledge the feat as impressive. "There's too many people in my life."

Rosalie hummed. " _Would you like for me to go?_ "

Laughing earned Leah a glare. As she closed in for, something, maybe a hug, she froze mid-step when Bella thrusted the phone at her. She watched Bella head into the bathroom before kicking off her shoes and pulling off her jeans. She tucked herself under the covers. "Hey, babe, I think you just upgraded."

"That _couldn't possibly have run her off. Believe me, I've tried._ "

"Nah, she's brushing her teeth." Leah paused to fluff her commandeered pillow. "She is kinda hard to get rid of. She's like mold or something. Rotting wood. Something. A disease, maybe."

Rosalie sighed. " _Don't remind me_."

Before she could reply, there was a hiss and some rustling noises. Then a peppy, " _Hey!_ "

Leah chuckled. "Hey, Alice."

Over the sounds of Rosalie cursing her entire existence and wind, like they were driving, " _How are you? I miss you. We should get lunch again._ "

She'd initially judged Bella's random smiles and more upbeat demeanor, but, really, Alice Cullen was infectious. And so she found herself smiling even as she heard Bella huff. "How are you? Small, cute, and radiating deathly amounts of joy, I'm guessing."

Bella dragged a hand across her face. With a sigh, she knelt on her bed and pushed on her friend's shoulder. "Leah, get out of my bed. Alice, get off the phone."

"No."

" _No!_ "

Two fingers pinched the bridge of her nose. It was too cold for this. As Bella hoped maybe she could recover her night and got under the blanket, nearly hanging off the side of her own bed, Leah's phone went off. She snatched it with a gut feeling. Ignoring Leah's indignant cry, she answered, "Hey, Rosalie. Our connection got really weird for a minute."

" _So it did._ "

Bella smiled at her sour tone. "So what are you up to tonight?"

" _Currently? I'm wondering if I heard correctly about a dog being in your bed._ "

The smile slid off her face and she heard Leah stutter over a word. Rosalie didn't _sound_ pissed, but rather, like she tried not to be. Understandable, because someone other than Alice had climbed into her bed like they belonged there. Also the fact Rosalie Hale was a possessive vampire? Bella bit her cheek and rolled over, elbowing Leah. "What _are_ you doing here?"

"Uh." It took Leah a minute to look over her shoulder, and it was fleeting. She adjusted the phone. Cleared her throat. "You're leaving in two days."

The silence thickened as they all tried to decide how to continue with what they perfectly understood as, _I'm going to miss you a lot._

Bella rolled back over, pulling the covers as she did. "Well stop fucking hogging the blanket that you don't even need."

"Bite me."

"I will have someone actually bite you."

"Yeah? Who?"

"Give me the fucking blanket," Bella hissed in the dark. She wanted to yell, but this was too much to explain to Charlie.

"But I'm cuddly and warm!" Leah cleared her throat again. "So, anyway, like I was saying, Alice…"

" _Stop grinding your teeth._ "

Bella stopped immediately. She exhaled. "I'm going to be arrested for murder."

" _You say that like there'd be a body._ "

"Rude!"

"Mind your business." Bella pulled on the blanket again, finally getting some. Then, quieter, she asked, "Are you upset? Because if you are I'll go sleep on the couch or—"

"No, I'd sleep on the couch."

"And then Charlie goes downstairs and we explain that how, genius?"

A small growl rumbled in Leah's chest. "I'll—"

" _It's fine._ "

Bella couldn't decide if she hated phone calls with Rosalie or not. The woman expressed so much without words that it made this type of conversation difficult to judge. "You know, I think I'd die of heatstroke if Leah tried to cuddle me." She ignored the curse thrown at her.

Rosalie hummed. " _You'd both die._ "

The smile returned to Bella's face and she burrowed into her pillow. "So yes or no?" In the silence, her smile widened. Throwing off the stoic, infallible, in-control Rosalie Hale was easily a fun pastime. "About spending tomorrow night together."

"Ooooooo—ugh!" Leah rubbed her ribs, scowling over her shoulder.

" _I need to see if I have any prior engagements, so I suppose it's a maybe as opposed to yes or no._ "

Brown eyes rolled. "Rosalie?" She hummed and in Bella's mind, she was inspecting her nails. Bella's mind also took that moment as an opportunity to stop working.

" _Bella_?"

Her jaw moved. No words came to her. Then she realized didn't want to convey words, but a feeling. She wanted to kiss Rosalie. The thought heated her cheeks, but she mostly attributed it to thinking about her fainting incident yet again. "Your hair is fabulous. I thought you should know."

" _Yes, I do know._ " Rosalie's voice actually _sounded_ like her small smile.

"So what were you doing before you called?"

" _Reading_."

Bella tucked her arm under her pillow. "What were you—" A snore cut through the air sharp enough to make Bella jump. "Oh my god, no."

A light laugh. " _She read_ Alice in Wonderland _to help her sleep._ "

"Uhm, that's cute?" Another snore made Bella wince and shut her eyes like that could block out sound. "This isn't. What this is, is how I die. This is the end. This is what kills me. Guide my soul to heaven, please."

" _You're not going to die._ "

"Just tell me you'll guide my soul anyway, just in case."

" _How would I even do that?_ "

"Well, obviously you just have to take it around with you." Bella's eyes shot open. That was pretty smooth, actually.

Judging from the pause, Rosalie thought so too.

" _I might just give it to Edward._ "

Offense tore a noise out of Bella's throat. "I thought you loved me."

Met with even deeper silence, Bella could've kicked herself. Rosalie had a lot of issues, love being a very strong one. She valued it in whatever form above maybe everything. It wasn't a frivolous thing. It was serious and deep. And Bella had noticed the way Rosalie froze up whenever Bella and Alice exchanged those words. It was something Rosalie Hale craved.

It was something Rosalie Hale feared.

Running through things quickly so they couldn't latch on and pull you under was something Bella understood well, so she did what came naturally. "That's fine, though. I'm sure Edward would take care of my soul and be happy to do it since someone couldn't be bothered to." Her brow furrowed. "Alice would probably mug him for it, though."

" _Most likely._ "

Leah's snore made them both hesitate.

"God, she's going to fucking wake Charlie at this rate." She glanced at where her clock used to be. "What time is it?"

Thankfully, Rosalie chose not to comment on her laziness. " _Almost 3:30. Will you be able to go back to sleep?_ "

"I don't know. Tell me a story?"

Rosalie huffed. " _How about I_ read _you one instead? What am I saying? I'm not Alice. What have you done to me?_ "

"It's not the same." She sounded whiny even to herself. Still, she closed her eyes and pulled the blanket tighter.

" _I'll tell you a story under one condition._ "

After Leah let out a surprisingly small snore, Bella hummed.

" _Tell me a joke._ "

"Too sleepy."

" _You know I don't accept excuses._ "

The simple contentment of hearing Rosalie's relaxed voice apparently pushed her toward sleep. Steady warmth radiating from Leah's side of the bed probably helped too. As she wracked her mind for a joke, some small part of her screamed to run, to shut down, to drive Rosalie away. She swallowed heavily, ignoring that distant panic. "You know what's really odd?"

" _Tell me._ "

"Numbers not divisible by two."

Rosalie snorted. " _That's horrible._ "

Bella thought she'd heard the sound of people laughing, but that could've just been her brain playing tricks on her.

With an agitated sigh, Rosalie started her story.

They both ignored the fact she just rehashed _Hamlet_.

* * *

Anxiety danced in Bella's throat and occasionally slipped into her chest. So when she gathered gift boxes from her truck and Rosalie appeared next to her, she jumped with a curse. The action caused her to fling one of the boxes across the cab and against the window. She clutched at her chest, whipping around to face Rosalie and her unimpressed eyebrow.

"Calm down. You look like you're just going to drive off into the sunset."

"I might." Bella resumed gathering her burdens of the day.

"Well, that would simply render me heartbroken."

She stopped breathing. That tone sounded like everything she didn't need to face right now. Playful, pouty, cute. Bella resolutely focused on her task, coughing a little as she finally took in air again. She shoved a few boxes toward Rosalie without looking. Her heart beat faster at the discovery that Rosalie actually stood less than a foot away.

The smug smile on Rosalie's face went ignored.

Esme swept open the door like she was welcoming home a child who'd gone off to college. She bustled forward, relieving Bella of the stack of gift boxes and asking about her day as she briefly touched her face.

Bella actually backpedaled into a very close Rosalie.

Esme didn't notice as she went back into the house. "Oh, dear, I hope you don't mind that we're doing this so early. I wanted you to have time to yourself later. Are you hungry?"

With the help of Rosalie giving her back a slight push, Bella started physically and mentally working again. "No, I'm okay. And the time is fine." _Wow, I sound so comfortable._ A wave of calm hit her and she blinked, looking around the room to find Jasper on the couch, offering her an understanding smile. "Uhm, so is everyone ready?"

Alice blindsided her. Even as the human wheezed, she tightened her hold and beamed up at her friend. "I've been ready for decades."

"I'm not even that old, Alice."

Rosalie snorted, depositing the rest of the boxes on the table between the couches. She dropped onto the armrest beside Jasper and crossed her legs, arm propped up on the space behind her brother's head.

"In a way, few of us are that old." Edward breezed past them with a wink and sat opposite of Jasper, hands folded in his lap.

Esme gave Bella's shoulder a light squeeze as she went to sit beside Edward. Somehow, Bella was a little taken aback by the camera in her hands. Another wave of calm hit her. Finally, Carlisle drifted in with an apology about paperwork and joined his wife, taking one of her hands in such an absent way it made Bella's heart clench in her chest.

Then she realized she was literally the center of attention. Bella patted Alice's head both to steady herself and to try expressing her thanks over not being left alone.

"Alright. First things first. Let's keep the world from ending." Her nerves had gotten so bad she felt eerily calm and embraced the feeling. Stepping out of Alice's hold, she scooped one of the rather nondescript boxes off the table. They all had bows and some were different sizes and shapes, but the only truly uniform thing about them was the numbers Bella had written on the top. She held the first box back to her best friend.

Instead of simply accepting it, Alice darted to Bella's side and bounced to the point of making the young woman teeter and bounce with her. Her gold eyes were totally focused on the item in her hands and her grin could've lit an abyss.

Bella felt a sense of warmth overcome her so suddenly she choked on air. She laid a hand on her energetic friend's arm to steady herself—which was a horrible idea—as she looked at Jasper, who had a smile softer than she thought him capable of. She nodded at him, understanding his silent thanks.

"If you opened it before I wither and die, that would be fantastic."

The only person that reacted to Rosalie was Bella with a roll of her eyes.

Alice showed how intense the impatience and curiosity all the waiting built in her by actually tearing through the box itself. Esme's tired sigh was lost on her. A small card, not more than four inches in size, tried to fall to the ground, but Alice's reflexes didn't allow it. She cocked her head. "Two hours?"

Bella stuck her hands in her pockets with a heavy sigh. Her eyes drifted along the paintings on some of the walls. "Two whole hours of shopping where I cannot leave your side or complain and must actually engage with my opinions on—"

Alice's squeal set off a few laughs as she pulled Bella off the ground, somewhat swinging her from side to side in the hug.

"I sincerely hope you survive," Carlisle said once his laugh eased into a chuckle.

Desperate, because she sensed no end to this and she was beginning to get dizzy, Bella shook one of the hands pinned to her side. "You're forgetting the rest of it."

"Oh!" Alice dropped Bella and snapped up the half of the box she hadn't destroyed off the hardwood while her friend crumpled and blinked at her surroundings. "They were out of these!"

When Bella looked up, she saw two pairs of blue heels instead of one. "Yeah, they apparently got a delivery while we were there."

"So that's why I had to stand around for twenty minutes?" Rosalie sniffed.

Carlisle coughed.

Bella got to her feet after Alice had already put on the heels and was almost knocked over by the happy kiss on her cheek. She had to practically shove against the babbling vampire. "Love you too, show Jasper. Look, he's waiting."

He aided her endeavor by patting the space next to him, but he didn't look remotely surprised when Alice blurred to his lap. He nodded seriously while she kicked up her leg and talked about her gift.

Rosalie, with a curled lip, left her perch for the other end of the couch.

"Whew. Still alive. Okay." Bella ran a hand through her hair.

"Am I next?"

Edward's timid question made Bella rub her temple to refrain from the same exasperated eye roll Rosalie did. Still, the way he'd leaned forward and scooted a little off his seat struck her as cute.

"Be patient, dear."

The few pats to his knee made Edward straighten his back and fold his hands in his lap once more.

"Regardless of who's next, please tell me the one marked '666' is for him and not me."

"I can't confirm or deny anything."

While Edward and Rosalie had similar, sour expressions, Jasper shared a subtle grin with Carlisle and Esme gave a light snort.

The box with "2" on it made its way to Carlisle's hands. He probably contrasted Alice as much as possible with the care he undid the bow and lifted the rectangular top. He stared at its contents.

Edward sighed.

"Oh, no."

Alice shushed her sister, bouncing yet again as she watched.

Esme, meanwhile, looked delighted like it was for her instead of her blank-faced husband. She reached in and her eyes sparkled even as Bella rubbed the back of her neck.

"I had to kind of guess at the colors, and I figured at least one out of three had to okay with you, but, uh—"

"I love them." His warm voice matched the smile he offered her.

Carlisle pulled off the red scarf he wore and, settling his box in Esme's lap, stood to loop it around a not-breathing Bella. He adjusted it before giving a nod of satisfaction and sitting back down. Esme held out the almost pastel, blue one and he started putting on his new scarf, smiling all the while.

As Bella recovered and flared out her hair from under the fabric and practically ran the few feet back to the table, Rosalie caught Edward's tired gaze. "Tell me we're dead."

"Don't be silly," Alice swatted at Rosalie and missed. "If we were, it'd be horrendous. Instead, Belly Bells just needs another red accent in her ever-surprising. all-black outfit."

"Hey, I wear colors!"

"We're dead," Edward muttered.

Bella held up a hand as Alice went on a tangent. "Okay, no, later. Right now, move your butt. I need your hubby."

Alice slid off of him and next to a scowling Rosalie. The scowl bordered on murderous when fingers tried to poke her cheeks more toward a smile.

Oblivious to the near chaos and beginning of hissing next to him, Jasper tilted his head. "What can I do for you?"

Bella gave him the third box. "Hold this."

"Can do."

His attitude made her roll her eyes even as she grabbed the fourth box, the largest one. But then the fact Esme's smile grew with each step that brought her closer pulled an almost embarrassingly large smile out of Bella. It beat away her nervousness as she came to a stop. "Okay. Now, trade with Jasper, Esme?"

Alice gasped, a hand flying to her mouth even as she excitedly patted Rosalie's leg.

The sheer happiness in Esme's face could've inspired armies. Bella definitely would've fought someone for her.

Esme's hands lingered over Bella's instead of simply taking the gift. "I love it, dear."

Affection adorned Carlisle's face as he stared down at the camera he'd liberated from Esme in time for the moment. "Love, you haven't opened your gift yet."

"I'm not certain anything could be better."

Hands in pockets, Bella took up residence against the armrest next to Rosalie, watching Esme glide over to Jasper. A subtle brushing against her sleeve made her cock an eyebrow and look down at the blonde who didn't appear to have moved an inch. She caught a smile so brief she could've imagined it.

"Who goes first?" Jasper asked as Esme returned to her spot.

"Whoever."

"Why switch?"

Bella shrugged at Edward before adjusting the scarf around her neck. "Because if not I might've just pitched the boxes at everyone and run off with a shriek of anxiety."

Rosalie's shoulders shook while everyone except Edward—who just had a puzzled crease on his brow—laughed, and she swatted Bella's forearm.

"Ladies first."

Esme might've rolled her eyes but she still obliged. Her eyebrows pulled together.

"Open it."

She lifted it from the box. Understanding, and then glee, came to her face as she flipped through the pages of the cookbook. She hugged it to her chest to the point a distressed creak filled the air. "I can't wait to cook with you. Though you leave me unable to choose my favorite gift, dear."

"Consider it one, whole gift?"

Jasper whispered something to Alice that made her stop bouncing, but it just somehow mutated into the small vampire shaking as she tried to contain herself. Her clasped hands rocked back and forth so fast in such a small space that Bella's eyes got confused.

"Would you like to just break the couch or perhaps the house?"

"I'm just so excited and happy!"

Bella found Rosalie's scoff to be countered by cold fingers tracing an idle pattern on her wrist. If she wasn't about to start moving around the room again, she would've seen if the vampire would run from open hand-holding.

Jasper's abrupt laugh ensured every set of eyes focused on him. Something sparkled in his gaze as he looked at Bella and held up a relatively small bear trap made of a light metal.

Carlisle laughed the loudest she'd ever heard even as she shot finger guns at Jasper. "You caught me. Friends forever."

Squealing, Alice crushed Jasper's face to her chest before hopping over Rosalie to snatch Bella off the armrest and spin her in circles.

"Did you hear that?"

Esme looked at Rosalie rubbing her face where a small shoulder had hit it. "Hear what?"

"The sound of me needing a new mate."

Bella's indignant response got lost in her dizziness. She wiggled her arm into a position where she could pat Alice to ask for her freedom. Her feet hit ground after two more spins and her legs seemed as confused as her eyes, so Alice pushed Bella into sitting on the armrest. Bella, however, was too disoriented, and started sliding off.

Rosalie's motions blurred in her attempt to keep Bella from falling into her lap.

Bella threw an arm out toward Alice, bracing herself. Blinking, she rose, and though she swayed, she threw back a thumbs up. Whether to Alice or Rosalie, she wasn't sure. She shook her head a little. "666" box in hand, Bella delivered it to Rosalie and noted the way the vampire's blank face flashed into a smug grin.

Edward's scowl mostly dried up before Bella got to him. He didn't even look down at the gift.

Brown eyes rolled.

Bella leaned forward to pat his shoulder and catch his eye. "Hey, buddy. You gonna open it?"

Snickers sounded even as his face lit up.

" _Rosalie_!"

Edward jumped to his feet and caught the box before it could hit Bella's head.

"Rude." Latching onto Edward's arm, she leaned around him to glare at Rosalie. It was almost familiar. Crossed arms and what seemed like an eternal scowl as Rosalie tried to put holes in the wall with her eyes alone.

It looked so…normal, excluding Edward's awkward air and everyone else pretending they weren't amused. Rosalie, seething and unapologetic. Esme, shocked by her daughter's disrespectful outburst.

Ache tightened Bella's chest so she relieved Edward of Rosalie's gift and pushed on his chest to get him to sit again. "Back to our regularly scheduled programming." As she heard the whisper of what had to be Esme scolding Rosalie, she said, louder, "The moment of truth for poor Edward who I'm sure I give headaches."

He fiddled with the bow on his box. "It's my fault for trying too hard when I shouldn't be trying at all."

Damn this boy was a cute idiot when he stopped being an ass. "I was joking."

"Oh." Edward smiled sheepishly at her. "You're funny."

The tired sigh Rosalie filled the room with echoed the feelings Bella kept off her face to preserve Edward's emotional state.

"Why don't you _open_ it?" Esme squeezed his arm even as she glanced at Rosalie.

He did. The same way everyone except Alice had. Meaning Bella watched the top of the box lift up at a thoughtful, Edward speed that had her ready to mimic Alice. After a moment, he closed it. His hand grasped his hair as he looked around, smile so wide it might've hurt his cheeks if he was still human.

Bella's entire body twitched when he was suddenly standing a foot from her. She read the question in his eyes and smile and felt suffocated. Not particularly on account of him, but just in general with all the Cullens after the past half hour. She became acutely aware of Carlisle's scarf and it felt like it was choking her. While he remained still, Bella stepped into his space and gave him a half-hug at a small distance that he returned just as gently, though he didn't do the same awkward pats that she did.

"Well?"

Alice's body language matched Carlisle's question.

Edward sat back down with a protective grip on his gift. "I don't think I should share in the interest of preserving its meaning. It, ah, protects me from some of Rosalie's attacks against me."

The reprimand coming off Esme's tongue dissolved into a sigh as Alice's bouncing turned into her darting over the table and past Bella. His gift was already waiting for her hands. Fighting Alice about this couldn't go in his favor today.

She glanced inside and gave a tinkling laugh before handing the box to Esme.

And so the piano string he always noticed as missing at horrible moments got passed between the family, except for one. Bella watched Rosalie's expression grow impossibly bitter and grumpy each time it exchanged hands. The increase in her heartrate only earned her a scathing glare.

Bella went over to her as Jasper snorted and held out the "666" box.

Rosalie didn't spare her a glance.

"C'mon." She shook it a little.

"Please open it before I _die_. I've waited so long!"

" _Rosalie Hale._ "

"Fine." Rising off the armrest, she took the box like touching Bella might burn her. Rosalie opened it with less care than Jasper but significantly more than her sister. She closed her eyes. Sighed. Focused amber eyes on Bella and pointed at the small wooden box inside. "Am I going to hate you more than I already do?"

Bella shifted into Alice's way of the box. "I think you'll appreciate it on some level."

Resignation ebbed from Rosalie as she removed the top. A hiss left her and her fingers blurred to flick Bella's eyebrow.

"Ow! Hey!" Bella rubbed her injury, scowling back at the vampire.

"Will you behave? Goodness. It's like you were raised in a barn instead of my home today."

Rosalie ignored Esme in favor of growling at Alice as she climbed onto the couch and rested her arms on Bella's shoulders to peer over her friend's head.

Alice pouted. She set her chin on Bella's head and crossed her wrists over each other, wiggling her fingers. "Roooooose."

Bella was too amused to properly join forces with her best friend so she settled on nodding.

"It can't be that bad." Carlisle paused in stroking his new scarf and regarded the blank-faced Edward. "Can it?"

Proud shoulders slumped enough for vampire eyes to see. Eyes anywhere but her family or her mate, Rosalie held up her gift for everyone.

Laughter broke out anew. Jasper had doubled over, Alice shook a grinning Bella with the force of her amusement, Carlisle actually slapped his own leg.

Edward only held a meek smile on his face.

With a hiss directed at Bella, Rosalie vanished with her black knight chess piece.

Esme frowned slightly at the sound of Rosalie's bedroom door slamming. Though, a tentative curve of her lips replaced it when Jasper called her name, giving her a thumbs up.

Carlisle got up, smoothing back his hair, and stopped in front of Bella who was still supporting the weight of Alice. He held out his hands and smiled when Bella took them. "I hope you know I do consider you family. I have for a while."

An awkward smile graced her face. Thankfully, he either sensed her distress or was just polite and let her be after a few seconds. She escaped Alice as everyone started drifting out the room to go about their night. Her gait stuttered at the sight of Esme's beaming face on her way to the stairs.

It took a little over an hour for Rosalie to give permission for Bella to enter her room.

* * *

Bella sighed, walking at a shuffle compared to the people bustling around the mall. She'd lost track of Renèe and Phil half an hour ago. Or they lost track of her. Didn't really matter either way. To think, hardly less than twelve hours ago, she was running late for school and running around her house in a frenzy. Of course Alice had shown up like some kind of blessing—Bella made sure to tell her so—and helped Bella frame and set out or hang all the pictures she'd printed. Sure, it came at the price of explaining that no, Alice was not unattractive or gross, Bella just found her too cute. But at least all the pictures got set up. Her and Charlie looking dead in the morning, them watching TV, her doing homework. Hell, on the kitchen table there was a picture of her eating cereal, turned toward Charlie's usual seat.

A small smile pulled at her lips. The old man might actually cry when he got home. Or punch her when she got back.

And like that the smile was gone again. If only she'd be back in Forks before the sun rose again. Not that she hated Phoenix or her mother or stepfather or anything. She just wasn't home. She just didn't know how she'd survive the next week. Renèe had been thrilled about the ticket being so early, even if it required Bella to miss half the school day because she forgot Seattle was basically a four hour drive.

Bella had no such feelings. Instead she thought about how grumpy and pissy Rosalie had been. How horribly late to class they both were so they could squeeze in a few extra minutes just around each other. Bella didn't take offense to her quiet demeanor or lack of physical contact. Rosalie was coping. Adorably. It was as endearing as Rosalie chastising her at one am because she hadn't finished packing her bag yet.

She shook her head. Alice and Edward had never seemed more like brother and sister than when she saw their equally glum faces before she got in Charlie's cruiser for the drive to the airport.

Something crashed into her shoulder hard enough to make her stumble into an unforgiving-looking woman. Her skin crawled. Her heart jumped into action for her body to properly give into the sudden flight response with vigor. Even though a cold sensation sprouted at the base of her neck and into her skull, she dragged her gaze up.

There was space in the crowd as if they sensed a predator walking among them. He walked backward, utterly focused on her. The smile on his pale face made her shaky. Made her ready to run somewhere, anywhere. Red eyes glittered with violent desire, the promise clear. He ran his tongue along his teeth.

His stride slowed. His face changed. Something between confusion and wariness pulled at his mouth as he looked past her.

He vanished.

Bella became aware of a large someone so close to her she could feel the cold of them emanating onto her back.

Still trembling, though the distinct need to _go_ was gone, she turned and craned her neck to look at a dangerous expression on Emmett Cullen's usually happy face.

* * *

 **A/N:** Yes? No? Either way, my dude Emmett is back! And James made an appearance but whatever. The bears of the Cullen family will finally spend some time together. Decided against the cliffhanger ending. Sooooo excited for what comes next.

Man, Bella trolled the fuck out of Rose.

There ya go, Paige. Edward got his hug. Kind of.

See you guys! _And with a regular-sized chapter, jesus christ._


	22. Different Skyline, Same Sky

**A/N:** *flings chapter out early for my swamp monster friend firenubs* So my depression's been in my face so I just haven't been up to answering PMs. Working on that.

You guys had some wild, fun guesses about the Phoenix trip and I loved all of them. Seriously. I have no clue how no one guessed this, though.

Also *watches Emmett run into the distance as fast as he can with his characterization* Welp. Anyway, sooooo excited about all to come. I adore the trip, even if I spent weeks running through different events for it. And damn, getting to know Renee was annoying. For me, I mean, so I could write her. Don't give her too hard a time. Also, kind of addressed a thing here where people just assume really pretty chicks can't dig chicks? Dunno what's with that, but fuck that.

Tegan's gonna loooove this shit.

* * *

"And you two call me dramatic?" Rosalie walked into the living room from the back door, circling around the couch and tilting her head as far to the side as she could, a wave of blonde hair falling over her shoulder.

Esme's gaze moved to hers and away with a sigh.

Meanwhile, Alice continued to stare at nothing as she opened her arms wide, the action strange as she sat upside-down with her mother. "We miss her. And we know you feel the same."

"It hasn't been a day. It hasn't even been twelve hours."

"She's around that…woman." Rare disgust curled Esme's lip. Then it was gone, replaced by a slight broodiness that made you wonder if Edward was actually her biological child.

Alice reached for her hand. "It's okay. You know Belly Bells loves you."

"Does she? Or is she simply fond of me? She's fond of her mother on some level."

Seeing Alice pat the space next to her, Rosalie rolled her eyes. Still, she flipped herself forward over the table and landed upside-down, jostling Alice thanks to her sudden weight.

"Dramatic."

She shrugged and crossed her ankles as they dangled over the back of the couch. Some of her hair pooled on the floor, a testament to her thoughts on Esme's housekeeping. "So who doesn't detest Bella's mother?"

"Her husband, I assume."

A fond smile tugged at Rosalie's lips as her sister snorted.

"So, anyway," Alice started, taking Rosalie's hand too.

"Anyway, you're clearly superior in all ways, including as a mom. The gap is so vast it is immeasurable. Being a mother and being a mom are not one in the same. I wouldn't worry about Bella's opinion of you."

The smile returned to Esme's face and she withdrew her hand from Alice's. She shifted, scooping a giggling Alice into her arms. She did the same with Rosalie, who didn't fight it despite her stricken expression. With Alice's face lost in her shoulder and Rosalie's arms pinned, she squeezed her daughters. "I treasure the two of you. I truly do. And thank you Rose, I love you too."

Rosalie grumbled something about the ridiculousness of a three person hug while upside-down on a couch. But she didn't pull away.

"At least I have practice in getting someone unused to the ways of a loving mom to view me as one."

"You do." Rosalie's gaze drifted, though her small smile stayed in place.

"At least Bells isn't—" Her eyes glazed over.

A sick feeling churned in Rosalie's stomach. She sat upright in an instant, oblivious to Esme's concerned glance as she stared, practically willing Alice to come to and declare her vision.

"Don't work yourself up about what you don't know or can't control."

"Haven't quite mastered that yet." Rosalie paced the room. Emotions skewed your perspective. So she couldn't tell if she simply felt anxious since her mate was so far or if her gut feeling was genuine. She almost walked over Edward when he came in, purpose in his steps as made for Alice.

Crouching in front of her, he murmured, "Again?"

"What is it?"

Rosalie couldn't read minds or see the future, but she knew Edward. She knew that tone. Puzzled. Worried. In the next ten seconds she was packing a bag.

"Nothing. Nothing for now."

Lies.

"Edward."

"Please trust me."

There was the small gasp of Alice coming to herself and Rosalie nearly broke the railing upstairs in her haste to get back to them, to judge Alice's face for herself.

"Everything is fine." Except there was no pep and her eyes briefly met Edward's.

"But." Rosalie's growl dwindled at Esme's touch.

Alice's mouth moved without sound, eyes travelling around the room.

"Well," Edward said hesitantly.

"Obviously there's nothing impending." Esme's words fully silenced the rumbling growl. "So it can't be entirely bad, yes?"

Edward cleared his throat. "There are no injuries, yes."

Amber eyes darted between the two who were the first to explain something problematic yet couldn't seem to form more than a simple sentence. "We're on one of the paths from that bundle of visions you had. Not a good one."

"I don't care which of you says it, but someone is saying it in the next five seconds."

"A nomad is interested in hunting Bella."

"Emmett ran off a vampire." Alice launched forward, grabbing Rosalie to keep her from darting to get her things. "Wait, wait."

" _Wait_?"

Alice didn't blink at Rosalie's hiss while Esme pressed Edward for details. She skidded a few feet across the floor, still holding onto her sister and her words came out in a rush humans wouldn't have understood. "She's safe. Emmett's staying with her till you get there—"

Rosalie froze.

"—The nomad won't bother her in Phoenix."

"But he could change his mind," Esme said.

She had a point, but Rosalie latched onto something else, a detail Alice might not have realized she admitted. "Won't bother her in Phoenix" combined with the fact the vision tied into previous ones told Rosalie one thing. It was a very real possibility that nomad would wind up in Forks with the desire to kill her mate.

"Yes."

Rosalie whipped around, twisting Alice in the process, but she only had eyes for Edward and his honest gaze. "Emmett's imposing, but you specified he wants to _hunt_ her."

Edward grimaced.

"His eyes."

They looked at Esme and her relief, but Edward looked like a light bulb went off above his head. "That makes sense."

"There are only two covens who don't feed on humans. We are not a secret."

She was right. And so Rosalie could probably trust Alice's visions where Bella went unbothered in Phoenix because the nomad would at least want to assess the risk of his hunt. Her phone produced a noise she hadn't heard in months. She looked at Emmett's text.

 _I won't let her out of my sight till you get here._

Rosalie returned to her room with an odd clenching sensation in her chest.

* * *

Bella's fingers tapped out a message to Renèe about bumping into an old friend with relatively few typos as she followed after the large vampire she'd only spoken to once. Maybe she would've been calmer if he said something or looked easygoing like he usually did. Well, usually up until a week before he suddenly left Forks.

Then again, maybe she would've been calmer if she hadn't felt the fear a vampire could cause in its prey. Prey. She was _prey_.

He held the door to the family restroom open for her and locked it.

She rubbed her palms on her shirt, taking a deep breath. "Thanks for—" Her back hit the wall and she found herself being lifted, being brought to his height. The cold of the tiled wall seeped through her shirt slower than that of his grip.

Emmett's eyes bored into hers and her anxiety ebbed away. Understanding filled that space. Amber and brown pierced each other, pulled aside the curtains hiding themselves and turned over stones. Threats, promises, questions. Their eyes said, _Come inside. Take a look. Don't lie to me because I won't lie to you._

Her heart beat regularly, the only sound other than their breathing.

"Are you making Rosie happy?"

"Yes."

"No doubt?"

"No."

"What about when you're a vampire?"

Bella didn't miss how staying human wasn't an option. "I think she'll throw more things at my head."

A grin lit his face, gold swirling back into his eyes. He deposited her on the floor again. "I heard about that. Wish I could've seen it. And that bear trap!" He punched her arm a little too hard, making her shoulder hit the wall. "Sorry. But hot damn that's just so good, Bella Bear. You're gold."

Her lips parted, her eyebrow twitched.

Emmett grew somber. His gaze moved to the tile beside her head. "I never wanted to hate someone so badly."

She studied his grey shirt.

"Shortie calls me every day. I never answer but she leaves voicemails. She knows I listen to them." He rubbed one of his shoulders. "I was mad at first. She made it feel like I never left and that was all I wanted. Space. But I realized I had that, without losing my family, you know? I stopped listening whenever the voicemail became about you. Well, for the first week. I _never_ made Rosie awkward."

Bella looked up at his face when he laughed, the bitter notes of it echoing around them.

"You simply exist and the woman I've loved for _decades_ can't even pretend with me anymore. That's what we did for a while. For too long. Pretend." Emmett focused on her again, eyes still golden. "Then I'm listening to the 411 and I think, man, it would've been even better if I did this or that. Then I'm literally not breathing so I can clearly hear her telling me how you've changed Rosie. How you make everyone happy. How you hopped a table to hit some bitch in the face for talkin' shit about Shortie. _How you put the smackdown on Eddie Boy._ Then I'm accidentally calling you Bella Bear and wondering how you eat for Rosie to compare you to a bear so much. Because I've _seen_ bears eat. I like eating bears, I would know how they eat."

Bella blinked at the whirlwind that was Emmett Cullen. "I can't tell if you're saying you're gonna eat me or not."

"Maybe." He waggled his eyebrows before shaking his head with a chuckle. "But you know that makes us twins, right? Oh! We should tell everyone we're twins. We can be siblings in arms when we pretend at school. We need a name. Alice can cry me a river because I got dibs on you."

Bella's brow furrowed because she certainly didn't eat bears and because, well, _vampires were odd_. "Twins?"

He poked her. "Bear." He tapped his own chest. "Bear. We're the Cullen bears. I'm just bigger."

She watched him flex his large muscles and wink at her. "I think I love you?"

"Same." Emmett held out his hand. "So after you're vamped up, you punch me in the face as hard as you can and I do the same, yeah? To clear up any leftover feelings?"

"Sounds good to me." She shook in agreement, her hand nearly dwarfed in his. Bella held onto him after he tried to let go. He matched the seriousness in her eyes and she couldn't help being impressed with how he flitted between it and silly. "Thanks for being there for her."

"Thanks for doing the same."

She rubbed the back of her neck. "Not to seem ungrateful, but why are you here?"

He suddenly avoided her gaze and for all the world looked like someone might appear and scold him. Emmett fiddled with his wrist, drawing Bella's attention to the leather wrist cuff there with a lion roaring on it. "I wanted to see where you came from and then Ali said you were coming so I swung back from Greenland."

If it was anyone else, Bella would've called them a stalker. Instead, she shrugged. "Bears gotta know about other bears, right?"

Emmett grinned.

* * *

Glancing at her phone with a sigh, Rosalie turned off the rental and stared up at the reasonably nice house. House. It struck her as that as opposed to a home like Charlie Swan's little building did. Still, she could hear her mate's heartbeat. Easy, maybe asleep. Possible at a little after two am.

The noise of a video game from within halted.

So that was why he hadn't answered her text from five minutes ago about where he was since she was almost there. She retrieved her luggage—just enough for a week—and made it to the door as it opened. Rosalie breezed in like she owned the place to hide the knot in her throat. She stopped upon reaching the kitchen, setting down her bag.

"Ali said she had trouble sleeping but damn. Bella told me she slept like two hours yesterday and just wouldn't go to sleep till like twenty minutes ago. I almost forgot she was human."

The force of Rosalie crashing into him actually made him stumble half a step. She maybe squeezed his neck and shoulders a little too hard, but he just wrapped his arms around her waist and swung her in small circles. Her hair felt familiar against his cheek, his scent still reminded her of unyielding mountains.

Pretense had driven a wedge between them. It warped and poisoned what should've kept people close. As the gap widened, fissures opened, threatened to form webs of endless chasms and consume them. But with pretense gone, it was simply a matter of time before testing the waters again. Rosalie Hale held grudges. Emmett Cullen did not forgive betrayals or hand out trust that'd been broken once before. They'd wondered at each other, at apologies and things hard to express, to move past, but the cracks had mostly healed without that insistent pressure. And so best friends spun in a kitchen in a city they didn't care about in the middle of the night.

"Whoops, shit. Sorry. I told Phil I dropped something, you guys are good. Hi, bye."

Emmett had frozen at the sound of Bella's voice, so Rosalie watched her mate give an awkward wave in rumpled clothes and head back up the stairs like she hadn't witnessed anything out of the ordinary.

"Oh, right. We hug loud."

Rosalie could've smacked him and herself. Her feet touched ground again. She didn't look away from the stairs.

"It's so obvious she's your mate. Like wow. And she's so _brave_." A low rumble that passed as a chuckle escaped him. "I wouldn't dream of getting you that black knight. You'd murder me."

She whipped around to him, but he was already sitting at the table.

"A little bird told me. That and a lot of things. Now come on, Rosie." Emmett patted the space next to him. "Tell me everything anyway."

She allowed a small, thankful smile to answer his as she sat. Rosalie ruffled his hair before humming, thinking of where to begin.

A couple hours after, Emmett told her of what he'd done the past few months, lingering on an instance of when a polar bear briefly outsmarted him and he let it live out of respect.

* * *

Rosalie looked up from the table at barely seven in the morning, breathing forgotten.

Bella shuffled down the stairs. Her jeans were baggy, torn at her right knee and half-hanging off her hips, and her Killswitch Engage shirt was a little too short to hide the boxers peeking out. She only raised an eyebrow as she went toward the fridge. "Did you just stay down here all night? I thought you'd be out catching up with Emmett."

She blinked, getting over the unusual outfit. Amber eyes remained focused on nothing off toward the living room instead of looking back at what her mate was doing. "I'm not here for Emmett. You aren't," she exhaled, "upset?"

"Do you know how shitty I've felt about him not being around his family because of me?" Bella fumbled with some packaging before it tore and the sound of a toaster reached Rosalie's ears. "And how worried I was about you and your BFF getting along?"

Air paused inside of her for nearly a minute. Rosalie dropped her gaze to the table as she scratched at a scuff on the surface. "I don't think I could hurt him more than I did in '53."

The sound of a plate before the toaster let out a ting. Bella set it again. "That's a source of weird positivity."

Of course Bella wouldn't ask. She'd view it as rude or invasive. Yet Rosalie found herself needing to say it and cleared her throat. "He proposed to me."

"Oh. Shit. Damn. Words." The fridge opened. Closed. "Poor guy. Glad your friendship survived everything. Just shows how much you guys love each other."

Rosalie turned in her chair, eyebrows almost attempting to meet her hairline. But sure enough Bella was just pulling two more blueberry Eggos from the toaster. She blinked at the table again. Bella Swan was odd. "You seem relaxed for someone who was literally bumped into by a vampire."

"Vampires bump into me all the time. Into me, into lockers, even."

"Isabella, he is _dangerous_. This isn't a game or—"

Bella reached past her to slide the plate to the other side of the table, but instead of simply retracting her arm, she settled it over Rosalie's shoulder. Bella's other arm did the same and as her knuckles rested on the polished wood, she pressed her cheek against the side of Rosalie's head. She sighed, a tired but relaxed sound as it ghosted through blonde hair. "I know that. I know that regardless of what happens, it'll work out. You're not getting rid of me, human or vampire. But for now my heart's beating next to you."

Words got lost in Rosalie, stuck somewhere between her heart and her tongue. She reached up and enjoyed the simplicity of skin to skin contact as she brushed her thumbs over warm forearms. The heat of Bella radiated onto her back the same way Jasper pushed calm into her.

Then there was a loud creak from one of the stairs and Bella's heart jumped, a mirror of how she darted away from Rosalie. The loss of contact combined with facing Bella's mother had irritation twisting her face.

"You're up early for a Saturday, Bella!"

She sat across from Rosalie with a soda as her mother came into the kitchen. "You know, half the time you say that, I never actually went to sleep."

Renèe stopped, staring at Rosalie like she'd never seen another living thing before.

The silence seemed to register to Bella as she paused in folding one of her waffles in half. Her eyes bounced between the bored annoyance on Rosalie's face and her mother's shock and awe. "Oh. Uhm. Remember yesterday I mentioned my best friend was also visiting family here by some weird coincidence and had issues with her hotel? Yeah. This is Rosalie."

Her eyes returned to their normal size as she came back to herself, walking again. "Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, sweetheart. I—"

"Rosalie has a thing about physical contact." Bella's hand caught Renèe's shirt and tugged lightly to stop her from getting closer for a handshake.

"Noted. I'll tell Phil." If Rosalie wasn't a vampire, she would've missed the flicker of distress on Bella's face when the woman pressed to her side, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, squeezing. "I'm sure you've noticed my Isabella would rather eat glass than be within a foot of someone, so don't worry about us taking it wrong."

Renèe smiled down at Bella, the expression mirrored back at her.

Something inside of Rosalie twitched. Love lit green eyes. Bella's, however, were as empty as her smile. _Her smile._ It couldn't even be called that. It was some practiced nightmare that slid onto Bella's face as quickly as it fell away the moment Renèe went toward the fridge.

"You aren't breathing."

Bella's whisper drew her attention. But instead of breathing again, Rosalie stared at Bella, trying to put together that automatic response and the Bella she knew, the one looking at her with concern in her eyes. It didn't fit. It wasn't her. The sag of Bella's shoulders screamed at her and Rosalie finally placed what seemed so unrecognizable about her mate who made as much sense as she usually did just yesterday. Everything of her was automated. From the way she walked and talked to the way she smiled. Tired resignation sat across from Rosalie, saying something to Renèe.

Rosalie got the urge to throw Bella into a plane straight to Port Angeles and speed back to Forks.

That fake smile again. She didn't think she could stand to see it another time, but something told her it was commonplace here.

Rosalie hated Phoenix.

"You're so different today. I'm not sure what it is, but I love it. You're just, brighter, I think." Renèe ran her hand over Bella's hair and Rosalie had to bite back a growl that it should've been Esme instead. "Maybe we could go for a picnic?"

Even though Bella calmly fit a fourth of a waffle into her cheek, the way her heart beat in alarm couldn't escape vampire ears. "There's a storm coming in later."

Renèe blew on her coffee with a roll of her eyes as she continued to hover near her daughter. "Yeah, to somewhere else. We'll just have clouds for a few days."

Rosalie's eyebrow twitched when Bella winked at her.

"Oh!" Renèe's gaze darted from the bag near Bella's chair and to Rosalie. "You can absolutely go put your things away. I'm sorry you have to deal with my troll of a daughter, but her room's the first on the left."

" _I am not a troll._ "

"You hiss at sunlight and run from social interaction like you have a bridge to get under before someone takes your place and you wear the same clothes for three days in a row."

"That was like twice, let it go!" Bella pointed half a waffle at Rosalie, prompting a tiny quirk of her lips. "I swear I haven't done that in years, okay."

Sipping her coffee with a twinkle in her eyes, Renèe hummed. "So, little troll, did the cold of Forks fix you or do you still make it to the front door before you realize you forgot to put on a shirt?"

Gold eyes noticed the way Bella's gaze dropped to herself as if to check for a shirt. Seeing her light blush, Rosalie stood up and retrieved her bag. Maybe Phoenix wouldn't be entirely bad. Maybe she wouldn't have to constantly reassure herself that silly, smiling, _living_ Bella existed under those false expressions.

"No comeback? Does that mean I win today?"

"It means I don't know how to explain that I'm a lovable mess, not a troll."

Two of the three steps had creaked so far, so Rosalie wondered how Bella managed to go up and down them without producing any.

"They're the same." A chair scraped against the floor, probably Renèe sitting next to Bella. "You've only mentioned Alice and Jake in the rare times I can get you on the phone. Rosalie's…different."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean when you told me about her situation, I was surprised you had a friend you'd do this for and worried about sleeping arrangements. But she wouldn't give you the time of day even if she was, well, you know."

Rosalie froze at the top of the stairs. She swallowed back venom. Told herself that no, she couldn't barge into the kitchen hissing and spitting. Told herself to beat back the old anger that rose whenever someone reduced her to her looks. Because that woman didn't know a damn thing about her.

Bella sighed over the sound of a second soda opening. "Any time someone says something like that, I'm violently aware they have no idea how funny or caring or charming or smart I can be."

"Isabella, no. That's not what I'm saying. I know you're those things, even if you try to prove otherwise half the time. I love you. I just. I worry about you." Her cup tapped the table. "Beautiful girls leave you behind. And Rosalie is easily the most—"

"Rosalie is easily the biggest nerd I've ever met in my life."

She bristled, making a note to question Bella about that comment. Rosalie Hale was not a nerd. Her hand paused on the doorknob to Bella's room. It felt invasive to go in without her permission. True, Bella hadn't objected to Rosalie putting her things away, but still.

Renèe sighed twice before she spoke. "I'm not saying she can't be this or that. It's just. She seems more indifferent than you on your worst days. And you haven't even tried talking to Jo again. It's almost been a year."

"Yeah, well, I'm not interested in talking to Jo. Ever."

"So you see why I worry, then. It's not good for you to hold that in and you don't even want closure. Grudges aren't healthy. While you're here you should—"

"I don't have a grudge against her, I just don't care. There aren't words that change anything about any of it. It'd help you, but not me, Renèe."

Eyes on the floor, Rosalie opened the door enough to slide in her luggage before closing it.

"So I'm guessing you don't want to talk to Kris either?"

An irritated noise tore out of Bella.

Renèe's heart beat a little faster.

"Oh, no. What?"

"She's coming over for dinner tomorrow."

The soda can let out a faint squeal in Bella's grip. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Look, you two were best friends, joined at the hip. You guys practically lived at each other's houses. Amanda and I go shopping sometimes when we're in town and talk about our daughters and how sad it is that they let almost half a decade of friendship go down the drain. Kris even comes over sometimes so—"

" _That's fucking weird_."

" _Language,_ _Isabella._ She's like a second daughter to me! And she misses you."

Rosalie stifled a growl that would've brought the attention of the whole house to her. She started back calmly to keep from just bolting down there to end the conversation.

"Well you can have dinner with your other daughter. I'll be with Rosalie."

"You can't just kidnap the girl. She's here to see family, too. I'll just tell Kris not to come."

Bella didn't say anything.

"Even if you won't talk to Jo, you should try with her."

"No."

"I don't know what happened, but—"

"No."

Renèe sighed. "I love you and I know you still care about her. I just want you to have friends that really care about you, like Jake. Friends that won't just," she stopped herself as Rosalie all but stomped down the last few steps and into the kitchen.

"Thank you for allowing me in your home."

A frown took over Renèe's face at the cold demeanor rolling off the vampire. She glanced at Bella who stared down at her dented soda can. "Well I couldn't just let you struggle. I understood a packed house when I met Phil's family."

Bella's head shot up as she knocked on the table. "Wait, is Thanksgiving here or with them?"

Renèe gave her a sympathetic look.

Rosalie crossed her arms a few feet away from them as Bella's forehead hit the table. "I wasn't sure where to put my things."

"Coming," Bella mumbled without moving.

"It's really not so bad, sweetheart. They all like you." Renèe rubbed her back before getting up for more coffee. Coffee pot in hand, she spun around, something like excitement in her smile. "Rosalie! You're welcome to come to the picnic if you're not doing anything."

Bella sat up so fast Rosalie couldn't help the roll of her eyes. "When would it be? Because it's a miracle Rosalie got here on her own. She doesn't know where anything is. So I should show her around."

Renèe's brow furrowed. She blew on her coffee, looking at Rosalie. "Can't your family show you around?"

"It'd be like Phil doing it."

Before she'd even finished, Renèe was waving her hand. "Good lord, save this girl, then. You two be safe when you go, okay?"

"Drive off a bridge, got it."

"Isabella."

"Skydive without a parachute."

A sigh.

"Kick a tiger in the face."

Rosalie caught a look from Renèe and raised an eyebrow.

"I don't know how you can stand her."

At this, an honest smile came to Rosalie's face and she heard Bella's heart compliment her. "I don't know how she survives me either, but I enjoy this hoodlum." It would've been too much to shoot a smug smirk at the woman, so Rosalie reined it in and extended her hand to the troll in the room who actively strived to avoid physical contact.

Bella, of course, didn't hesitate or think anything of it as she was helped to her feet and their hold lingered for a few seconds. Her eyes were only for Rosalie, so she missed the surprise pinching her mother's face. "See you in a bit. If you hear a bunch of noise, it's because she isn't okay with my room and wants to redecorate. If you hear me scream, she threw something at my face."

"Expect your corpse, got it," Renèe said, her tone a little off.

"Yup."

It was strange. Mother and daughter were definitely more like friends, but with one of them unable to escape. They required a healthy amount of space or else they'd collide too much. And they could collide, joke, and crash again in the same few minutes as if nothing happened. Rosalie suspected the only thing keeping them from running from each other's wildly different personalities was all the years they'd spent together.

"You're so full of bullshit," Bella said, opening her door. She looked down at Rosalie's bag for emphasis.

"I didn't want to just come in and move your things."

Bella glanced back at her, understanding even as gold eyes moved around the room. "Well, I don't live here, remember? Besides." She opened all the drawers down one side of the long dresser. Empty. Then she pointed at the half of the closet with only hangers, all of her clothes on one side. "I knew you were coming."

Though it was a small gesture, it was a considerate one, one that displayed Bella's understanding of her. Bella had no idea how much she'd packed, only that she would be there. And she seemed to have no issue with it, when she'd only known that Rosalie was coming to Phoenix, not that she'd want to stay here.

"You okay there, Aristotle?"

"Of course." She drifted to the dresser, idly running a finger over a yellow, heart sticker on the dark surface. One of its edges was frayed.

"I gave up on getting that off because I didn't want to deal with the goop and impossible remains of those damn things."

Beating back the question of who put it there, Rosalie hummed. Her fingers continued over the swirls on the dresser and her traitorous mind brought up the memory of the last time she did this in Bella's room. Months later this human still made her uncertain, awkward.

"Okay. Rules." Bella rolled her eyes with a sigh, either oblivious to Rosalie's amused smirk or uncaring. Her knee closed a drawer as she crossed her arms and leaned her hip against the dresser, raising an eyebrow. "Fucking _relax_."

"I'm not stressed."

Brown eyes closed for a few moments as if Bella was summoning patience from somewhere deep within. "Do you know that I'm not with you even though you're a vampire? I'm with _you_ , as you are. So," she made a small circular motion with her hand, "just be yourself. Vampire-wise included. I'm fully functional, I can tell you if I don't like something."

Naturally, Rosalie's gaze drifted among the various things around the room. There was so much more here than in Forks. Trinkets, mementos, a few posters. More color, even, aside from the lavender of the walls. And it was so large, almost two rooms or a small apartment. Only the black bookshelf seemed unnatural, being half-filled. At last, she tilted her head slightly. "Haven't I already, though? I travelled states knowing that you're safe without me."

"You think if the situation was reversed I wouldn't do the same? Pfft."

The small smile coming to her face froze when Bella caught her hand. She watched their fingers lace together over the wood. "This is so strange for me."

"What is?"

"This." Rosalie lightly squeezed her hand. "Feeling this way. Wanting things and to actually do them."

Bella's gaze joined Rosalie's, staring at their hands. "Yeah it's weird not wanting to evade the person I'm with or just doing things out of obligation."

"It's unnerving how understanding you are. But I enjoy it. Count on it, even." She didn't know where she was going or why. She just was. The moment didn't feel real. She drifted through emotion like an endless sea with a lazy sun overhead, peeking out from behind fat clouds. "The whole way here I couldn't stop thinking of what I would have done if Emmett wasn't here. I still don't know."

And then Bella was sliding into her space. Arm going around her waist in a gentle way, wrist pressing to hers. For a wild moment, Rosalie couldn't be sure Bella's pulse wasn't her own. She leaned her head against Bella's and pulled her closer so she could feel every breath, every beat of the war drum in her chest.

"You make me feel alive." A puff of air against Rosalie's neck in the form of an odd laugh. After a moment without a response, her eyebrows pinched together. "What?"

"Nothing."

Rosalie huffed. The weight of Bella left her shoulder and the arm around her loosened. She reined in a sigh at the end of their embrace, but she froze entirely, the sun finding a home in her chest as warm lips touched her cheek.

"You're just so cute." Bella stepped away, an almost sly smile on her face as she cocked an eyebrow at Rosalie's refusal to let go of her hand. She wandered to her desk and sat, knee up against it as she leaned back, book in her hand. "You putting your stuff away or what?"

Gold eyes slid to her mate, watched her run a hand through her hair. Maybe Phoenix itself wasn't real. She'd have to figure out what about this place created this difference, this playful confidence. "No, I thought I'd do it when you fell asleep to keep myself occupied for exactly ten minutes."

The book slid across the surface into a few pens. "Does that mean we're leaving? Because I just sat down."

"Oh, no. How dare I inconvenience you." Rosalie held a hand to her chest. "Truly, I am a monster for taking you up on the offer you, yourself, made."

Bella's eyes cut to her and away before she stood, going to her closet. "Alright, alright. Just let me change."

"Why?"

A pop sounded from Bella's neck as she rolled her head to the side to look back at Rosalie. She did one particularly slow blink. "Because you look great and I seriously thought you'd be out with Emmett at least half the damn day. Look at me. Seriously. Do I look like I expected to be seen with you?"

Smile endlessly playing about her lips, Rosalie walked up to Bella and leaned against the doorframe of the closet. She reached out, fingers ghosting across Bella's jawline. "But you're my ruffian, no?"

Bella coughed before swatting at her hand.

"Besides. You're almost a lazy mix of grunge and punk." A golden eyebrow arched as her gaze drifted. "I loved when grunge was in style. Maybe I should revisit it. Though, it would drive Alice _up the walls_ ," Rosalie trailed off with a laugh. Then she poked Bella's ribs, making her inhale sharply. "Are you alright? You stopped breathing for some strange, unfathomable reason."

"I. Uh." Bella glanced past her to the door and back. "What?"

The smile morphed into a smirk. "I might. Would you be opposed to it?"

Bella's jaw worked. She burst into motion, going around the vampire. "So, anyway."

Rosalie followed with a gentle laugh. The smile stayed on her face all the way to the garage and even after getting into the heavily tinted car. She needlessly buckled up, preparing for Bella driving her around and whatever came with it.

* * *

 **A/N:** So we get to see just how much the Cullens have made Bella better, Bella and Rose get stupid close, some other junk, Esme gets her son back... Yeah, shamelessly Bella and Rose getting stupid close is the whole Phoenix trip and dammit, we _deserve_ the cute gayness to come.

 **Guest who feels the story could be good if it wasn't for the atrocious progression of Rose and Bella:** Tragic.

 **RR:** Hell yeah Leah snores lol Oh boy if you want awkward reactions about R/B then you are in for a good time. I won't write the scene but Em makes Edward eat the fucking dirt for the shit he pulled as soon as he gets to Forks. Then he hugs Esme and follows her around and tells her about everything he did and gives her some new rocks he found.

 **Guest:** Ehhhh Idk if Rose just shooting off to Phoenix counts as losing her shit? Lol.


	23. Shadows and Highlights

**A/N:** So, life. Also, I got really damn sick and wasn't sure I was alive for a week. Still sick, but operating. At this point, things are getting back on track, with me, not with life. So, anyway. Lot of messages to sift through.

Okay. Fun chapter. I trust you guys, so trust me here. I feel like Rosalie is someone who likes to know how things/people work and observes a lot.

This chapter is brought to you on this day (Pride is today in my city, ayyy.) due to medicine, the flurry of asks I got about Rose and Bella today, and a tired burst of excitement. And the guest I ruined! Sorry, but also not sorry.

Friendly reminder I suck at romance and if you don't like the end, I can just take it down. Who let me into this genre. How does romance even happen. Where am I

* * *

Such a wide variety of music played by noon that Rosalie wasn't even surprised anymore by Bella tapping or bouncing along to annoying pop songs. Personally, she hated those the most for how they got stuck in your head, but they were perfect for pissing off Edward.

Her mood dipped again. Like it'd been doing all day, even when Bella had genuinely pretended to be a tour guide for the first hour of their drive around Phoenix.

"You know, it's a good thing you're a vampire. Otherwise I think you would've shattered your teeth by now."

She unclenched her jaw. Glanced at Bella and the ease in her muscles as she rested her chin on her fist. When Rosalie had been told about mates, she'd sneered. Despised it, judged it. Love didn't fall into your lap, and it wasn't love if you were just shoved at someone you didn't care for and stuck with them. But moments like these proved how she'd misinterpreted it all or simply couldn't believe in it. The mate bond was simply a gift to lighten the curse of eternity. It said, _Note this person. You'll mesh and fall and every step will feel right._

Rosalie cleared her throat at the stoplight, idly watching a couple cross the street. "I just don't understand why she wants you to make up with Jo. She's fully aware of what happened."

"She doesn't." Bella looked at her mild frown before going with the light traffic. "Renèe knows me, kind of. Even if she doesn't like to acknowledge certain things, she knows and understands them." She straightened up more, but instead of having both hands on the steering wheel, one bounced on her thigh in a fist. "She floundered after I said words wouldn't do anything about Jo because she didn't understand but didn't want to talk about it, to acknowledge it. I knew she'd be that way. I, uh, wanted this to be on my terms versus you overhearing me talking about it."

She didn't appear upset, so Rosalie just waited.

"It's not that I think you'd judge me." Bella shrugged a shoulder. "I don't view myself as a good person. Meh. But anyway, Renèe thinks I'm still torn up about what happened because I won't retaliate. I had this friend a looong time ago. Showed me he wasn't actually my friend, ever. So I destroyed his bike and humiliated him in class. Renèe was horrified."

Rosalie's lips pulled into a small smile at Bella's laugh. "So when she says to 'talk' to Jo, she means possibly make her cry, or whatever you feel the need to do. Though she hopes you'll actually just talk to her."

"Yup."

Gold eyes flicked to the sleek dash, to Bella, to the truck in front of them, to Bella again. "So why don't you?"

"Because I don't know how to stop loving someone. I hate it." She shrugged a shoulder again. "And I try not to live in my emotions, you know? They're too deep. A gateway, especially with my depression. I don't want to be that way. I logically know Jo made a stupid mistake, she's still a kid. Not much of an age difference, I know, but still. Logically, I know it, and it's something she regrets. Something she learned from, something she got hurt over, too. Logically, there is no interaction with her worth pursuing. Emotionally? Doesn't matter."

The information got tucked away, yet another piece of the puzzle of Bella Swan falling into place. Also, it explained how she felt to Jasper, and it might interest Carlisle and his theories on such a strong gift manifesting in a human. But Rosalie wanted another piece, for herself, for what she suspected. For something she thought she saw in Bella's eyes a few times, heard in her voice, a reflection of a part of Rosalie. "If it did?"

Bella's grip on the steering wheel tightened for a moment, but it wasn't out of distress if the twitch of her lips was anything to go by. "I would've crushed her."

Esme's words swirled to the front of her mind, _"You're a predator, but you're no monster. You could be, but you've chosen to be better, to be more. Have you tried to see if she's the same?"_

 _Mates indeed._

* * *

When Rosalie returned from hiding away in the garage with a book, Bella didn't so much as twitch. A blonde eyebrow arched, the door closing behind her.

Bella was sprawled across the bed, head and arms dangling off the side, and she didn't appear to be looking at anything in particular.

Rosalie sat at the desk without removing her finger from her page. She could enjoy silence, but this felt unnerving. Wherever Bella was, there was music, even if it just faintly playing from the earbuds hanging around her neck. The only exceptions were if she deemed it rude or there was a speaker somewhere.

Silence.

"How was dinner?" Of course she knew how dinner went, but it seemed as good a place to start as any. The air itself reminded her of her old room in 1934, desolate and without purpose.

One of Bella's arms jerked up a few inches in something like a shrug considering her position.

Banishing the wish for Alice to spin into the room and magically make things fine, Rosalie swallowed. Her eyes darted around in search of a topic. Again. A third time, much more desperate. Each passing second had her slipping back by decades, had the abyss in her chest cracking open.

"Have you ever tried eating a donkey?"

Rosalie came crashing back to Phoenix, Arizona. "What?"

"I asked if you ever ate a donkey."

Her nose crinkled. "No."

"I wouldn't recommend it, it tastes like ass."

The book fluttered through the air and Bella yelped, flailing, but it still clipped her shoulder. Except, her rapid motions shifted her farther off the bed, so she started sliding off, maintaining somewhat bitter eye contact with Rosalie the whole time. Shoulder blades hardly touching the floor, she looked like she was sitting upside-down with the aim of getting a backache or a terrible pain in her neck.

"Is this a thing now? Throwing things at me?"

She shrugged a shoulder.

Bella huffed and, with the least amount of dignity Rosalie had ever witnessed, flopped the rest of her body onto the floor. She tucked an arm under her head. Stared at the ceiling. "I'm sorry."

"Why?"

She pointed without looking. "So what's with that? You never wear a necklace and suddenly you have one with the same emblem Emmett has on his wrist."

Rosalie touched the small, silver lion even as she appreciated Bella's approach to emotions. "It's the Cullen crest. We usually only wear it when we're away from the family. Guys, those leather wrist cuffs. Girls, necklaces. Though, I also have a cuff and Carlisle usually wears a necklace nearly always."

"You guys have a crest."

It wasn't a question, yet Rosalie found herself elaborating if for no better reason than to keep the silence at bay. "It was Esme's idea back in the late thirties, I think, after I made a jab at Edward. Something about a pride of lions. I really don't remember. Either way, it's supposed to signify that we're stronger together, that we're family."

"When did you take to it?"

Rosalie pressed her lips together, both out of a flash of shame and the surge of fear at being so clearly read. "I'm not sure. It caused more than a few fights with Edward and Emmett. Though, it was before Alice and what I won't forget is how Esme smiled at me."

Bella nodded, sitting up and leaning back against the bed. Her eyes still focused on a single point, the only difference being that it was the purple curtains at the window instead of the ceiling. "When did Jasper show up?"

"Oh, at the same time. Alice waltzed in on his arm. We just refer to it as the Coming of Alice, considering."

The words finally pulled Bella's gaze to Rosalie. "Considering what?"

"Considering it was the same as Emmett." Rosalie looked down at her clasped hands, a wry smile sliding onto her face. "I was first, but everyone except Esme considered me a bitchy extension of Emmett. And I do mean everyone. Other vampires still do. Meanwhile, Jasper is, at least at first, the unsettling, scarred extension of Alice. Except to me, to Esme."

Bella's brow furrowed when gold eyes found her.

"And to you."

Her eyes widened a little. "That's why Alice bounces off walls about me and Jasper being friends."

Rosalie hummed.

"I feel like I have too many questions."

"Well, I have a surprising amount of patience as long as you don't tell anyone about it."

Bella got up, stretching, and sat on the edge of the bed. She crossed her leg so that her ankle rested over her knee and braced an elbow on it. "Why didn't you view him as an attachment to Alice?"

"He didn't trust us the same way I didn't trust them."

"I'm missing a lot, I see." Bella's gaze travelled for a minute. "What do you mean when you say 'Coming of Alice?'"

A soft laugh. Nostalgia rendered her gaze distant. "I mean she shows up, rattling off at me and Esme. She knows all of us already, of course. She's developed great control because she's known forever that we'd be family and that means no people-eating. I do mean you should imagine this in full Alice-fashion. Esme opened the door and she hugged her and told me she understands and she loves me while Jasper just looked ready to fight if we so much as twitched."

"You must've _hated_ her," Bella snorted before breaking out into a chuckle.

"I did!" She echoed Bella's amusement, leaning forward and waving her hand. "I'm a raging bitch—"

"Right, right."

"—and Jasper just starts agreeing with me as we follow them through the house. _Esme and Alice shush us_. So we talk about how ridiculous this is amongst ourselves and this pointless tour of the house happens three times before he's asking me about how long it took me to convert to animals. I wish I could show you his face when I told him I've never tasted human blood. Well, I could draw it, or Alice could. But anyway. Alice brings the tour to a halt and, what?"

"Guessing Carlisle was working, but where the hell is Emmett for all of this? Edward?"

"Oh, that's important, thank you. They were out hunting. So Alice spins around and points at Edward's room and tells Jasper to start moving everything into the garage. And this straight-backed, suspicious vampire just says, 'Yes, ma'am' and _does it_. He didn't ask me or Esme and just did not care whose room it was. Edward comes back to Alice and Jasper already moved in and is just staring at everything he owns piled up in the garage."

"You're fucking kidding."

"Not at all. And then one of the best days of my entire existence gets even better because Edward is obviously livid and he just _knows_ he can count on me to bitch alongside him."

"And you don't."

"And I don't." Rosalie grinned back at Bella. "My hatred for Alice was short-lived, as you can tell. Edward living in a garage for two years did wonderful things for my mood."

Bella rested her forehead against her palm, just laughing.

The delight on Rosalie's face faded to an almost thoughtful look. "I adore your laugh."

Naturally, Bella choked and sputtered. She eventually cleared her throat and avoided gold eyes. "So would you say that they were Cullens then or not until some time after?"

Crossing her legs at the knee, Rosalie chose to indulge her. "Hm, I want to say that with what it is to be a Cullen, they were that same day, perhaps even before. I would've defended them solely for Esme and, well, she was simply _quite taken with Alice_." She mentally scolded herself for the way she'd grown bitter at the end of that sentence. But it was Bella after all, so she supposed it counted as opening up instead of something negative.

By the time she came out of her musings, she realized that somber, thoughtful expression pulled at Bella's face again. "What is it?"

"I. Am I, well." Bella chewed her cheek for a second. Ran a hand through her hair. "Am I a Cullen?"

Rosalie stared into brown eyes with her tongue between her teeth. Everyone considered her family, but Rosalie knew firsthand that love and acceptance could be intimidating.

Bella's gaze drifted. "It's something Emmett said about—"

"Oh, no, what did that oaf say now?"

"No." Bella snorted. "He said we're the Cullen Bears and we'll pretend we're twins."

Gold eyebrows rose.

"What?"

Composure slid back onto Rosalie's face as she uncrossed her legs. She could trust Bella to take a lack of verbal answer for what it was. "I simply fear what he'll drag you into."

Slowly, Bella sighed, but something lurked in her wild fidgeting that Rosalie recognized.

"I—"

"Wanna go to the store with me?"

* * *

Rosalie had a sneaking suspicion she'd be throttling Bella in the parking lot soon. She'd gone up and down several aisles looking for the mysterious product Bella couldn't "remember" other than it having dark packaging and a cat on it. Of course, she didn't take it seriously from the beginning, but she looked for something unappetizing that somewhat resembled the description to shove at Bella and hopefully coerce her into eating.

A group of teenagers passed her aisle with a horribly loud round of laughter and her eyes nearly rolled out their sockets. It was a Saturday preceding a week off school, so she really shouldn't have been surprised. And yet.

"Hey, babe. I missed you. Did you miss me?" The words floated across the aisles amongst other conversations and she placed it as one of the same teenagers in the group, the one with the most relaxed laugh. That laugh again, but a little deeper and a lot more meaningful. "Come on, don't ignore me. It's been how long? I know you miss me. Or my hips at the very least, yeah?"

Her eyebrow quirked as she left some questionable food item on the shelf and started back toward Bella, idly wondering what that girl had done to upset her…whatever.

"Should I just…?"

At the sound of Bella's heartrate kicking a little, Rosalie hardly refrained from running as she breezed through the store.

"Jennifer, stop." Bella sighed. "Now get off."

"No. I miss you."

At the end of the aisle, Rosalie stopped just inside of it, cocking a twitching eyebrow. Bella's posture and tone reminded her of when she couldn't get Alice to let go of her. And while she'd never mentioned a Jennifer, the girl seemed at home with her arms locked around Bella from behind and her chin on her shoulder.

"I miss you too. Get off?"

"Get off on you? I'm ready if you are."

"You really want all these people to hear you scream, Jenn?"

Rosalie tilted her head. There wasn't a hitch in Bella's breathing or the rhythm of her heart. She just selected a box of popcorn. Curiosity over the depth of Bella's confidence—casual, actual, or joking—cut through Rosalie anew. In the middle of her mental notes, she smothered her jealousy about the comment on Bella possibly missing her hips.

Jennifer finally detached from her before she bumped shoulders with Bella and reached for her arm. The familiarity she had with Bella's body as she ran fingers over scarred skin had Rosalie biting back a growl. Jennifer whistled. "I forgive you for barely texting back if you feel _this_ much better. If the itch gets to be too strong, you can call me still, you know. Whenever, as long as you don't do something like this again, man."

Somehow, Rosalie knew without being able to fully see Bella's arm that Jennifer touched the worst scar. The one that set fear in Rosalie and made her feel sick.

"Nah, yeah, I know, dude. I know. But I'm good, though."

It then occurred to Rosalie that Bella hadn't called her "dude" or anything like that since she asked back when they weren't even friends and a small flash of warmth entered her chest.

" _Bella_?"

Her name was spoken like sunlight breaking through clouds, like day after an eternity of night. While it made Bella attempt to jump out of her skin, Rosalie's chest actually vibrated with a quiet growl. The only thing that made her pause mid-step was Jennifer moving to the other side of Bella, effectively blocking her from the girl leaving behind an uncomfortable-looking group, larger than the one that had passed the vampire earlier. They fled, but Rosalie hardly noticed. Jennifer's body language screamed, _Fight me_ , when not a minute ago it was easy and happy.

Rosalie again wondered who this girl was. She debated interrupting anyway, considering the way Bella rubbed her palms on her jeans and studied her box of popcorn. But Bella could take care of herself and probably never wanted Rosalie to even see this girl that had to be Kris. Red hair, green eyes, something…soft about her.

If nothing else, Bella had good taste, but Rosalie knew that a long time ago.

"Great. I should've known you were going to Juan's party. A girl can dream, I guess."

Kris ignored her, slowing as she got closer and looking past Jennifer's shoulder in some attempt to catch Bella's eye. "I'm going with Marcus' group. We just got here for snacks, too."

If Rosalie wasn't a vampire, it would've physically hurt her for how she rolled her eyes. She swallowed back venom and disgust at once.

"Good for you?"

Yes, Rosalie quite possibly liked Jennifer regardless of what she might've once been to her mate.

"Look, I—"

"I'm not sure what you're doing here. Inviting Bella? Because if she's going with anyone, it's me."

"I'm not going, so it really doesn't matter."

Judging from the way Kris looked like she found out Jennifer had been ruthlessly pranking her for decades, Rosalie didn't think Bella's statement mattered and she wondered if these confrontations happened outside of Bella's presence as well.

Kris's spine straightened. "Jennifer, if you could for once in your whore-ass life stop getting in the way, that'd be great."

"In the way of what?" She laughed, " _Your dead friendship_? Girl, let it go. Everything was over, damn, how long ago?"

The grinding of Kris's teeth reached vampire ears. "I just want to ask her to the party or somewhere to catch up. Please, move."

"No really, how long ago was it? A year? More? Bella, how long have we been friends?"

"Guys."

"Maybe it wouldn't have been if you didn't shake your ass right into the way." Kris stepped sideways, probably with the intention of meeting brown eyes, but her gaze got stuck on Bella's arm. Or rather, most likely, the lack of anything new there.

Jennifer didn't notice. "Excuse me? We're actually friends. My ass, even if it's better than yours, has nothing to do with it. I just saved her from being too damn nice to you about your bullshit."

" _Guys, please._ " Bella at last moved around her friend and gave each of them a serious look.

It got through to Jennifer. She crossed her arms and looked like she was maybe biting her tongue.

Kris instead stepped that much closer to her, hand twitching out like she wanted to reach for Bella and just couldn't make a decision about it. "I miss—"

" _Oh, fuck off_!"

Rosalie couldn't help remembering Bella's words about being unable to stop loving someone as she shushed Jennifer.

Then Bella was sighing and turning to Kris. "I'll talk to you later if you stop."

"Promi—"

"That's bullshit! You shouldn't have to lie to get her off your back."

"She's not on my back," Bella hissed, "You guys are trying to fight in a fucking grocery store on a Saturday night. I don't even know what about!"

"About this slut!"

"About this bitch!"

Bella pressed her palms to her eyes. "First of all, Jenn's not a slut."

"No, she's just mad you actually fucked me and not her."

Rosalie's entire body froze as Bella sputtered and choked.

Kris gaped at Bella for a second, then she shoved against Jennifer's shoulder, almost shrieking, "When?"

If Jennifer's words made Bella's heart race, then Kris's made it launch into another dimension. And Rosalie stood, transfixed by the change in her mate. It was different than the day she punched a girl in the face for disrespecting her and Alice. Her heart raged, but she didn't even twitch, and her shoulders were rigid. The shift in the air of the aisle reached Rosalie. Cold and dangerous. She could only guess at Bella's expression based on the alarm on Jennifer's.

"I'm sorry, did you say 'when' like it could in any way matter? Did you ask, _when_?"

The dead, almost hateful nature of Bella's tone would've made anyone shrink back, but Rosalie felt something warm flare in her chest and her shoulders became less stiff.

"Bella, I, I—"

"You what? Besides acting like I'm your anything—which you have zero right to—you what?"

"Hey, dude, let's get out of here. Come on."

Bella slapped away Jennifer's hand in a way that had the girl rubbing it. She stepped into Kris's space and did it again when she backpedaled. An almost disturbed type of laugh shook Bella's chest as she stared down at her. "I want you to say it. You wanna go there, I wanna hear you say what you mean."

Seemingly finding her backbone for all of this despite Jennifer actually gesturing at her to stop, Kris looked at Bella's face. "You don't get to act innocent, Bella. You don't get to throw all the blame on me."

Head cocked, Bella shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not. I don't care. But you do. And I stopped writing letters."

Rosalie didn't need Jasper's gift. She saw Kris's face break.

"Shit, man, really?"

"Don't bring this shit to me ever again. I would fly back from Forks just to make you regret it."

Kris crossed her arms, but it looked more like she was hugging herself. "Bella, I—"

"I don't care. But _fuck you and everything you are_. You were supposed to be my _friend_ over everything."

Tears. "Yeah? Well what about what you did to me? What about what I needed?"

Before Bella could say something, Jennifer grabbed Kris's shoulders and spun her around, giving her back a push.

After a couple heartbeats, she walked away.

"Did you really? You aren't writing them anymore?"

"No. No, I'm not." Bella's shoulders slumped and a large breath whooshed out of her.

"'Kay, well, I'm really interested in who made you do that, but, dude. Look, but don't be too obvious. That chick over there is the hottest thing _alive_."

Casually making her way down the aisle, Rosalie rolled her eyes as she pretended to be interested in different bags of chips for probably too little time. But really, her patience wasn't limitless.

"Yeah, I know. I'd let her kill me."

" _You didn't even look_." Jennifer's fist met Bella's arm so roughly she stumbled.

The sound of Rosalie's light growl drowned in Bella laughing as she bodily shoved Jennifer a few feet.

"Cool it! Imma talk to her, dude. Save me if I make an ass out of myself."

"You do that by breathing."

"You are the worst friend," Jennifer hissed as she passed Bella.

Rosalie kept the smirk off her face and became incredibly interested in the back of a bag of Cheetos while Bella chuckled and Jennifer sauntered toward her.

"Hello? I'd really like to tell you something."

Quirking an eyebrow, Rosalie looked at the girl stopped next to her and ignored Bella silently cracking up behind her. "Hello."

The expression on Jennifer's face fell for a second, but then her smile returned. She stuck out her hand with a wink. "I'm Jennifer."

Rosalie shook her hand with a vibrant smile that had Bella's heart kicking up. "Hello, I'm Rosalie. Bella's soul mate."

Any confidence oozing out of Jennifer mutated into irritation as she dropped Rosalie's hand to whirl around and jab a finger into Bella's shoulder. "You are a complete ass, you know that?" After a quick sigh, she looked at Rosalie as if seeing her for the first time and nodded a little to herself. "You look like a huge bitch."

"Thank you."

Though Rosalie had no clue why, Jennifer hummed before grabbing her Bella's arms and steering her to Rosalie's side. Being manhandled never failed to make Bella grumpy so she just stood there with her hands in her pockets. Then Jennifer pushed and prodded Bella into nearly standing against Rosalie and she had to fight back the reflex to step away. The warmth of Bella slowly radiated into her side.

As Jennifer snorted and coughed and scratched at her temple, Bella grunted, "What?"

"This." Jennifer gestured to them vaguely, then dragged her hands down her cheeks before just holding them, slightly distorting her grin. Her green eyes bounced between the two. "You guys are so _awkward_ and perfect. I love it. Grumpy affection to the second power. Of course that means I'm assuming a little about you, Rosalie. But. Damn. You didn't move or hold hands or anything."

"You put me here!"

"Yeah and you're still just there with your hands in your stupid pockets when a bitchy-looking goddess is standing next to you." She ran a hand through her hair and couldn't keep the smile off her face as she looked at Rosalie. "And you look like you're ready to run. Ice queen but secretly cuddly? I'm guessing, but that's literally her type, oh my god. So awkward. Hey, do you have a brother or sister?"

"You just shoved us together! Of course this is awkward!"

Blinking as she reevaluated her thoughts on this girl, Rosalie simply said, "Several." What made Bella distance herself from someone that so clearly cared about her and knew her so well?

"Ugh, right, but they're all in Forks, right? That's far."

"Seriously, dude?"

"Look, a girl needs her gorgeous soul mate, too. And I don't have any leads."

"Well you're shallow so you can narrow it down by most of the human population."

"I'm not _that_ shallow, I just have standards. Which—Oh, shit!" Jennifer snapped her fingers and looked at Rosalie with wide eyes before gesturing between herself and Bella. "I don't know if you heard all that nonsense, but we never fucked. I promise."

Bella cringed. "I forgot you even said that."

Rosalie just nodded, though, internally, she felt relieved. And like a hypocrite.

They bickered and laughed. Soon enough, they agreed to meet up before break was over and Bella finally moved from her side to hug Jennifer. Although, in Rosalie's opinion, it seemed more like they rammed into each other than hugged.

* * *

Lounging on Bella's bed in an attempt of following the rule of not making things weird, Rosalie rolled over, using the book to block the light above as she flipped a page. She should've brought her own, but, well, she hadn't been thinking about such things when she rushed out of Forks. So she was reading some fantasy book she'd never heard of with a generic plot and a magic system that seemed dubious at best in the fifty pages she'd read so far. The only reason she kept reading it past the first few pages was to see if she could discern what about it made Bella wear it out so much.

She ran a finger over the feathered corner of its cover as her eyes slid to the door with interest.

With an elevated heartbeat, Renèe sighed somewhere downstairs. "I'm not trying to start a fight—"

"But?"

"But."

A pause.

"I'm not going to bite, Renèe."

"I just. I know you're not religious, but you don't feel like it's wrong to feel that way about girls? It doesn't feel like a sin or anything?"

Bella snorted. "I feel like she can sin all over me."

As Rosalie's eyebrows shot up, she heard Renèe gasp, Phil laugh, and something crash against a wall. She suspected it was Bella in her new panic.

"God. Oh my god. I said that in front of you. _To_ you. I'm sorry. That was so far out of line."

"I, I just. Bella, I'm so. I don't know what to say."

"I'm sorry, I'm so used to living with Charlie. Not that I say things like that to Charlie! That'd be weird. Like this. Very weird. I'm going outside and pretending this never happened, sorry. I'm sorry."

The back door slammed after a moment.

While Rosalie absolutely pitied the awkward situation Bella threw herself into, it quickly morphed into an idea.

She was patient, after all. So she jumped to the closet and the dresser and changed her mind several times. Then she changed her clothes. Normally, she would've smirked until the end of her game, but it didn't feel right on her face. And this didn't feel like a game, not in the usual way. A hot, twisting sensation occurred where her dead heart sat as she thought about it. She really did adore Bella.

The memories of some of the playfulness and confidence she'd seen in Bella's eyes and smiles sent a thrill through her.

Honestly, it was strange and terrifying to be generally excited by small things and to _want_. But she'd die before she let it go. She could be as casual with Bella's physical space as Alice, and she would, and more.

She looked at herself in the mirror.

Rosalie was…happy.

With an awkward, grumpy human.

She smiled without thought and her eyes jumped back to her reflection as a result. Marveling at herself, at the stranger in front of her, she could see why Isabella Swan was possibly developing a heart condition in her name. Rosalie Hale was absolutely beautiful. Of course, she knew that, but this was different somehow. She briefly imagined her eyes were blue and her features a little less perfect and she saw the woman she realized she wanted to be just before she took the wrong street home and wound up bleeding in Carlisle Cullen's arms.

Obviously it was the right street, even for all the falls and steps it demanded of her.

Rosalie made a note to call Esme later that night and see how she was before going back to the bed. Lying so that she faced the door, she picked up the book again to occupy herself, but she found herself reading the same line over a dozen times without taking it in. Still, she could hold it for appearances.

So she did. Propped up on her left arm, she waited.

The simple sound of Bella reentering the house curled her lips.

Rosalie schooled her features before Bella touched the doorknob.

As the door started to open, she turned a page without looking up. "If it's sin you desire, it's sin I can give."

Bella slammed the door as she fled back into the hall, prompting a smirk from Rosalie.

It was more or less what she expected. And just as satisfying. She _was_ on the young woman's bed, in sleepwear. Meaning, some rather short, red shorts and a black tank top.

What she didn't expect, was the door opening again so soon. But she just kept pretending to be interested in the book. Bella's heart had her looking up just as the bed dipped. Her eyes hardly had time to darken by a single shade before she felt Bella's lips.

For the fact Bella had rushed over, it was incredibly soft. So was Bella. And warm, just like the feeling in her chest. There was a faint sting behind her eyelids and she guessed it was because she'd never been kissed in such a simple, expressive way.

Bella pulled away to rest her forehead against Rosalie's. She gave a small, shaky laugh, her voice a little husky, "You are _trouble_."

Amber eyes opened as Bella pushed herself up, clearly moving with intent to leave the bed. "Absolutely." She hadn't meant to purr the word, but it made Bella shudder, so she let it go. Latching onto Bella's collar and giving it a tug, Rosalie found herself involuntarily doing something dangerously close to a pout.

The smile on Bella's face turned into a grin and she obliged.

To the chaotic song playing in Bella's chest, they kissed again. It was as soft as the first, but more exploratory, more certain. More wanting. Or maybe that was just Rosalie with the bolt that shot through her when Bella made a small noise. She released Bella's shirt to toss the book and felt a smile against her lips.

As she slid her hand around Bella's neck and into her hair, she felt Bella touch her face with a surprising amount of gentleness.

Teeth lightly grazed her lip and a small growl filled the space between them. She cut off Bella's laugh with her lips, pulling her closer, needing to feel more of the warmth Bella exuded.

A knock on the door had Rosalie biting back a hiss.

Groaning, Bella pressed a kiss to Rosalie's hairline before hauling herself off the bed with a heavy sigh.

To Rosalie's great disappointment, Bella was dragged downstairs over some gift.


	24. Nights Reveal and Conceal

Close to midnight, Rosalie considered asking Bella what Alice meant after the fourth instance of her sister imploring her to appreciate and relay "tired epiphanies." She looked up from the desk and to the TV show casually playing and to Bella sprawled across the bed, again looking at the case of the video game Renèe had gotten her. Rosalie wasn't sure if she just wasn't interested or worried she'd be bothersome by playing it. Seeing the consoles in her room made her prepare for Emmett starting up game tournaments again. Though, they also made her wonder why Bella didn't have any of them in Forks.

Bella flopped to the other half of the bed, on her back now. She rolled her head to look at Rosalie and pointed the game at her. "What's up?"

An eyebrow rose in question.

"You have words."

"You need sleep."

"Probably." Bella opened the case to pull out the manual and flip through it. "But oh well. The world spins on."

The airy nature of Bella's tone left Rosalie uncertain what to say. From what Emmett said, and considering how early Bella came downstairs that day, she guessed her mate had only slept about seven hours in almost three days. A frown pulled on her brow. "You aren't sleepy?"

"Tired, yes. Sleepy, no. My gift and my curse, but I think I bear it well. But then we're all just living corpses so I'm not anything special."

Rosalie wondered why Alice enjoyed when Bella was exceptionally tired, but then she remembered. _Alice_.

The manual twitched out of Bella's hands and fell onto her face as the ring of her phone pierced the room. Hand slapping to the device, she sat as she snatched it up, face twisting. The ringing stopped and she started typing out a text with what Rosalie would call hostility. But then it rang again, prompting a frustrated noise from Bella. She answered the phone without a word.

The background was loud, full of music and stupid teenagers and some shouting.

Rosalie had few guesses about the caller.

" _Bella?_ "

Under the sounds around her, she'd slurred the young woman's name, confirming Rosalie's thoughts and making her jaw tighten.

Bella, however, did not have vampire hearing or much patience at the moment. She hung up and finished her text. By the time her phone vibrated, she was already pulling on her shoes. Her eyes rolled at the text and she sighed, finally looking in Rosalie's direction. "I'll be back."

"I'll come with you." Rosalie stood as she did. Her words made Bella close her mouth. "Yes, I'm sure."

The irritation slid off Bella's face, replaced by the thoughtful stare you wouldn't think she had if you didn't know her, if you underestimated her depth. Rosalie matched it. It wasn't a battle of wills, or a disregard of the other's wishes, but an exchange of understanding. Something miniscule shifted in Bella, and Rosalie was blurring to the closet for all of ten seconds to change.

Bella bounced the keys in her hand as she went down the stairs and stopped between the kitchen and the living room to wave her hand in a wide arc at Renèe. "You know you won't sleep until you make yourself some tea."

The woman smiled from the kitchen table in a way that crinkled her eyes and Rosalie tried not to reevaluate how much she loved her daughter. "Oh, I know. Just too much on my mind. You girls going out? Not to a party?"

"Yeah. No."

Renèe's shoulders heaved in a sigh as she shook her head. "Let me know when you get there and home. Rosalie, don't let my owl of a troll-daughter keep you too late."

Gold eyes shifted between mother and daughter. "I won't."

"Good. You girls be safe. Please."

"Will do. Night." Bella waved over her shoulder as she led the way to the garage.

A soft whisper almost made Rosalie's gait stutter.

"Like father, like daughter. Thank God I haven't gotten a call about either of you yet."

In the garage, opening the driver door, Bella seemed to feel Rosalie's eyes and looked up. "What?"

"Nothing."

Bella's gaze lingered, but she didn't press.

It wasn't until about ten minutes of driving that Bella held out her phone and asked Rosalie to text Jennifer that she'd be there in ten if she wanted a ride. "How is Renèe just okay with you leaving in the middle of the night?"

"She's used to it." Fingers tapped the steering wheel as she chuckled. "And I know she breathes easier since I started driving because then I'm not _walking_ around in the middle of the night. I—"

She saw Bella's entire body cringe at the withering look she gave.

"I know. But I wasn't walking the city, or far," she sighed, giving up on justifying herself, "I know. But you do things when you want to die."

Something like horror, or maybe fear, crawled up Rosalie's spine at the thought of how their lives could've played out.

Bella gestured meaninglessly during a turn. "I just wanted out, you know? To not exist. Under the stars, alone, life isn't the same. It was the reminder Phoenix didn't care about me. I didn't matter. Who or what I'd be and do didn't matter. So I could be who or what I wanted."

And then Rosalie thought she understood what it was about Phoenix. There were no expectations, not real ones, anyway. Renèe didn't expect her to sit down to breakfast or dinner or even be home at night. She expected her to be alive. Her friends—Rosalie used that term loosely with the exception of Jennifer—here didn't expect her to spend time with them or even answer the phone. They expected her to be broken, but there. In Phoenix, there wasn't Leah to kick down her door and expect her to be better. No Edward expecting her patience. No Alice expecting her to try for happiness. No Esme expecting her to be more. No Charlie expecting the best of her.

There was something liberating and damning in such a thing, and Rosalie didn't want to think about how things would be if she was still in Forks.

What did she expect of Bella?

A nervous chuckle filled the car and brown eyes glanced at her. "Too much?"

"No," Rosalie said honestly. "Never."

To Rosalie's surprise, warmth covered her hand and her eyes dropped, watching Bella brush her thumb over the top of her hand before pulling away. The feeling that she was supposed to reciprocate with words or an action pressed against her as the seconds rolled by. The seconds stretched to an entire minute and she realized she hadn't breathed in an unnaturally long time.

"I'm sorry."

Rosalie's head snapped up too fast. "Why?"

"For doing that. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

Part of Rosalie wanted to scream. She didn't care for lies, but it was more complicated than that, but she didn't want to go into her failings right now. "No, it's quite alright."

Turning down another street, Bella's gaze suggested she didn't believe her.

Rosalie was wracking her brain for a way to save this when she became aware of music and looked up the street at the only house with lights on and too many cars in and near the driveway.

"Dumbasses," Bella muttered.

She agreed.

They wound up double parked and Bella hit the hazards as Rosalie unbuckled her seatbelt.

"No."

Her eyebrows rose in a mix of challenge and surprise at the authority in Bella's tone. It was an _order_.

Rosalie Hale did not do orders.

But Bella didn't balk at the sharp glare and quiet hiss. The fire in her eyes and the set of her jaw pulled at Rosalie, had her shifting from instinctually angry to curious, thoughtful. Esme was the first person to stay unwavering under her being ready to fight.

Emmett always looked tired or like he second-guessed himself or regretted it.

"If some drunk or high fucker even breathes in your direction, I'm going to be arrested for murder. And I'm not interested in Esme, Charlie, and Renèe forming some unholy trinity of parenting, now or ever. So I'll be back."

She didn't sound angry, just determined, and Rosalie watched her go until she shouldered past some guy to get into the house.

Bella knew very well she didn't need protecting, and yet.

That warm feeling filled her chest again.

As she pulled out her phone, she got a text from Alice.

 _Does that count as a two for one, you think? She'll fight whoever and possibly you?_

She ignored it to send her intended text to Esme, getting a prompt response.

 _It's fine you haven't called yet, dear. I just worry about Bella sleeping enough. Although, I'm happy to hear you're getting swept off your feet :) And you wanted to move._

Rosalie groaned, dragging a hand across her face. She glanced at the house and its increasing volume of music as she tried to discourage the older vampire through distraction and waited for the next message.

 _God, I despise that woman. I don't care if she likes her mother at all. I'd die if Bella faked a smile at me._

A round of surprised shouts had Rosalie shoving her phone in her pocket and staring at the house, every muscle in her body ready to burst in.

Then the door started to open and she heard the unforgettable voice of Kris. "No—I—Bella." She giggled. "I'm fine! Look."

The girl took the three steps down incredibly slowly, Bella hovering behind her looking ready to throttle the girl. It was a good thing—which was arguable depending on your feelings about the redhead—because she almost teetered off the last step, only stopped by Bella's sudden grip on her hips.

Kris let out another giggle and leaned back against Bella and the car was filled with Rosalie's growl, her hand snapping to the door handle.

"You know when I like you the most, Kris?"

"In your arms," she tried with a tentative smile.

"Kristen, I like you the most when you're not around."

A wicked smile overtook Rosalie's face as she literally watched the hope on the girl's face die and some tears form in her eyes.

"But you came for me!"

Tired annoyance tightened Bella's jaw as she sighed and held onto the girl even as she pushed her away. "Quit it. I wouldn't leave you in this situation even if I wanted to kill you myself."

"I can get myself—"

Bella jerked a hand through her hair and Rosalie heard her jaw pop for how hard she clenched her teeth. "Can you get to the car yourself or not? Because Rose will probably fucking throw you in the fucking trunk any second, holy shit."

"Rose?"

She sympathized with the small scream that left the back of Bella's throat because, frankly, she hated that the girl even said her name. And then so much warmth blossomed in her chest she considered getting Carlisle to see if she was dying.

"Calling her that is a privilege, not a right. Walk." Bella pressed a little against her arm as if she didn't want to touch her.

"Who is she?"

"Right now she's someone less ready to kill you than _me_. Now, walk. Please. Fuck."

Kris obliged, focusing carefully on her slow, imbalanced steps. She didn't look up from her feet and therefore missed the way Bella threw her head back and dragged her hands across her face. "Why's…Why's she with you so late?"

"She's staying with me."

Before Kris could fully articulate a syllable, Bella made a frustrated noise and stooped to literally sweep her off her feet.

Rosalie didn't hear whatever Kris said because she was blinking rapidly in an attempt to process the wild, conflicting feelings of being impressed, proud, jealous, and hateful all at once. She got out the car and opened the back door, staring. Bella's strides weren't troubled, and, even in the night, Rosalie could see the casual lines of her muscles perfectly and felt rather inclined to running her fingers across them. She guessed Kris was an absolute max of 120 pounds and that Bella could carry her on account of Leah getting her back to being fit, so she could probably carry Alice. True, she was a vampire and therefore heavier, but she was even shorter than Kris so their weights were more or less the same.

Bella cocked her head once they got close.

Rosalie ignored the question in her eyes and got back in the car. She in no way wanted to explain she had a moment of distress over not knowing if she ever wanted to be carried bridal style by Bella, or the fact the thought even occurred to her. She was still out of sorts when Bella opened her door and bent down to lean in, indecision on her face as she tapped her fingers against the top of the car. For an inexplicable reason, something soft settled inside of Rosalie, smoothed out her emotions and relaxed her expression as she waited.

"I…" Brown eyes slid from the dash to Kris in the backseat.

"Isabella." She murmured it without thought, so quiet she wasn't certain Bella could hear, but then she had her mate's undivided attention, then Bella was waiting on her instead. She wanted to study Bella's face, framed by her ruffled hair, but she was as trapped in brown eyes as they were in her gold ones.

Words didn't exist for this. And if they did, Rosalie didn't want them. She felt complete even as some distant part of her mind scoffed at the notion. Reaching out, she tapped her finger against Bella's lips just once as a lazy smirk stretched across her face that Bella mirrored. "I'm going to fight you, Swan."

"Name the time and place, Hale."

The back door flew open, smacking against Bella and making her hit her head on the top of the car. "What the fu- _uck_!" Bella slammed Rosalie's door as she jumped back just in time to get out of the way of Kris puking onto the street, some of it hitting another car's tire.

"That's not a party I want a part of!" Jennifer laughed too loud as she came over, peeking around a fender down at Kris who panted as she sat back against the car she'd gotten some of her fluids on.

"Well at least I don't have to come get you," Bella muttered, rubbing her head. "Hey, make sure you're done. If you do that in the car, you might actually be murdered."

" _You're together_ ," Kris wheezed, clutching her chest, a few tears going down her face.

"Get over yourself." Jennifer slammed her hand on the hood, uncaring that it made Kris jump. "Your obsessing is unhealthy and fuckin' annoying. Relationship? Dead. Friendship? You killed that one yourself. Years of shit down the drain because of _you_."

"Can you guys not do this shit?"

Kris used the car to pull herself to her feet, leaning over the hood to jab a finger at Jennifer before swinging her arm toward Bella. "Why does everyone act like she's a saint in this?"

"Do I have to fight to get a ride, too?"

Rosalie followed everyone's gazes to a girl about Kris's height, meekness seeming strange on her as she held herself and her hopeful smile quivered.

Bella's shoulders slumped. "I'd rather you didn't. But you have to squeeze in with these two assholes in the back."

"Thanks, Bella." Her smile became more genuine, more confident, and a shine of affection came over her eyes. "Your right hook is as mean as ever."

"And I missed it!" Jennifer threw her hands up.

Bella seemed to feel gold eyes and glanced at the tinted window with a sheepish expression.

"Who else did you pick up," the third girl asked, turning back to look at the house, the music inside growing louder.

"She didn't!"

"Shut the fuck up, Kristen," Jennifer hissed.

"Okay, look, everyone in the car, and no fighting. Jo, will you sit between the children?"

Jo's nodding stopped as Jennifer started pushing her into the backseat. "Pffft, my ass. I wanna talk to Rosalie."

"What? Who is—oh my god, your hair is _so_ gorgeous I could die."

Kris fell into the car with a groan and covered her eyes as she fumbled with the seatbelt.

Rosalie turned her head by the time Bella got in, silently enjoying the way Jo's eyes widened and how she touched her chest at the sight of her. "Thank you."

"Yeah," Jennifer said with a far too wide grin, leaning forward to the front and resting her hand on the top of Rosalie's seat. "Bella's wifey is gonna introduce me to my future wifey. Or husband. So, tell me, your brothers and sisters. Single?"

"I'll tell you about them if you explain this right hook we both missed."

Kris sighed against the window. "Johnson was harassing me and wouldn't stop and Bella punched him."

Rosalie met brown eyes for a second before glancing at her red knuckles.

Bella shrugged. "He's a little bitch."

"And you're a fighter!" Jennifer punched her shoulder.

"Jenn, please sit back and buckle up."

" _Please_ ," Bella agreed with Jo, making a left turn. "And I can't fight."

Jennifer and Rosalie scoffed.

"Hey! Fighting and hitting someone are two different things!"

Jennifer patted Rosalie's shoulder. "Who'd she hit?"

"This idiotic girl said something about my sister."

"Some things never change," Kris muttered.

"So she just hit her?'

A curve came to Rosalie's lips as she looked past Jennifer's expectant face for a solitary glimpse of Jo before she was blocked again. "No, she went on to loudly call them derogatory things in public and then Bella jumped a table to punch her in the face repeatedly. Not too harshly, though she should've."

Jennifer gave a bark of laughter. She finally sat back and bumped shoulders with a stricken-looking Jo. "Hey, that could've been you!" She looked at Kris next to her, lip curling. "Should've been you."

Kris elbowed her and slapped her arm and before Bella could express the irritation on her face, Jo shoved Jennifer toward the front so she could awkwardly slap Kris.

" _Neither_ of us deserves Bella in any way, so shut the fuck up and stop acting like some prissy princess. You're not a victim!"

"I—"

"What's wrong with you! What is actually wrong with you? At least I know I fucked up. But sometimes I think you fucked up more than I could've. Maybe you did." Jo crossed her arms and stared out her window, rubbing her temple after a few heartbeats of silence.

The tension in the car didn't compare to Bella's grip on the steering wheel and, for the first time in a long time, Rosalie felt like a burden. They were all dancing around something because of her presence and Bella's wild heart made her sure she was ready to burst anyway. She was supposed to say or do something. She could feel it.

But she didn't know what.

A few minutes later, Bella pulled into a driveway.

Jo slowly unbuckled her seatbelt. "Bella?"

She met her eyes in the rearview mirror, empty of animosity, and she sounded as if she spoke to an old friend instead of someone who betrayed her trust. "What's up, Jo?"

The girl surged forward suddenly, wrapping an arm around Bella's shoulder from behind the seat. She whispered, "You're a good friend. Happy looks good on you. Bye, Bella."

"Bye, Jo."

Not a second after the door closed behind her, Kris pushed against Jennifer.

"No."

"Why?"

"I like being near Rosalie! And I need to find out more about these brothers and sisters."

Bella gave a small wave when Jo turned around at her front door before slipping inside. And then they were driving again.

"Like they'd even acknowledge you."

"Look, if Rosalie can acknowledge Bella, I must have some good odds."

"Hey!" Bella let go of the wheel entirely and leaned into the backseat.

Rosalie sighed and started steering as the two took to a small fight. The car lurched forward as a result of Bella hitting the gas too hard.

"Ow! Bitch!"

The vampire sighed again. "Swan, I'm going to fight you if you don't resume driving properly."

Bella bounced back into her seat, adjusting herself, and huffed. "Fucking fight me, Hale."

"I just might."

"Whatever."

Rosalie's glare only widened Bella's grin.

Quiet, Kris's voice barely sounded over the music. "How'd you two meet?"

"The stars aligned," Bella said without missing a beat. Then her brow furrowed and she looked herself in the mirror for a second as if she couldn't believe what she said.

"Gayyyyy!" Jennifer punched her shoulder. "How long have you guys been together? Three months or something?"

"Uh, no."

"It's been less than two weeks," Rosalie clarified, eyes on the passing buildings and street signs.

Jennifer whistled and sat back with a mischievous smile playing about her lips.

"So," Bella blurted, "Why'd you go to such a big party with cops due at any minute?"

"Man, fuckin' Juan invited _maaaybe_ twenty of us, but so many people invited other people like assholes real late and suddenly the music's too loud, there's too much alcohol, more than weed being passed around."

"Why didn't you hit me up?"

A stupid grin. "I lost my phone."

"Sometimes, sometimes I pretend I don't know you. Find it?"

"Yeah, that's what took me so long. Told Jo to come. She didn't think you'd take her home and I told her she was an idiot."

"Will you please stop squishing me against the door?"

"No, okay? Let me have my crush and think about how I can replace Bella."

Rosalie snorted.

"Dude," Bella laughed, but Rosalie saw a glint in her eyes when she turned to look at Jennifer for a second. "Dude, I will literally fight you all the way to hell first."

"Oh, well isn't that nice."

It was too quiet for the other humans to hear, but Rosalie couldn't pretend. She unbuckled her seatbelt to fully turn in her seat and pin Kris with her eyes. The girl squirmed, looked at the door handle like jumping out the car was a viable option. "Is there something you would like to say to me?"

"N—No."

Rosalie turned back around. "Good, I didn't think dirt had opinions."

Jennifer wheezed and coughed and laughed all at once. She patted Kris's leg and choked on another laugh at her red face. "Man, we aren't friends, but I say this out of concern. Don't try to have a comeback. She killed you. You are dead."

The appreciative look on Bella's face pulled a small smile from her.

Thankfully, Kris heeded the advice offered to her and Jennifer filled the silence in the car, talking about nothing in particular, until they hit her street. She bounced out the car and rapped her knuckles on Bella's window. Before it was fully down, she leaned in for a hug and held out her fist for Rosalie to bump it. "You two get into trouble now, mkay?" She winked, spun around and whistled all the way to her front door.

A few streets and turns and fifteen minutes later, Kris lurched to latch onto Bella's seat, oblivious to the glare from Rosalie. "Are you taking me _home_?"

"Uhm, where the fuck else would I be taking you?"

Her hands squeezed Bella's seat. "I can't go home. I told Mom I was spending the night at Lexa's house."

"Uh, okay. Sounds like a personal problem."

"I'll tell Renèe you're together," she blurted, clearly desperate.

If Rosalie didn't despise the girl before, she certainly agreed with Alice's sentiment about burying her.

"Fucking do it, then!" Bella threw her hands up before slapping them back down on the steering wheel. "You think I wanna be here? No. I can't wait to go back to shitty, rainy-ass, no sunlight or seasons-Forks without even a Walmart. I'm trying to appease Renèe so she doesn't harass my fucking dad for months and I'm never coming back to this shithole. Do it. End my fragile dynamic with my mother. But tell me," she grabbed Kris's wrist when she tried to retreat, "tell me, afterward? Are you still going to act like you weren't riding my friend's dick into the fucking sunset and then having the nerve to smile at me and say you love me?"

Rosalie's eyebrows could not get any higher.

Kris finally managed to snatch her wrist from Bella and started slapping the door, her voice quaking. "Let me out the car. Now. Let me out."

Bella braced her arm against her own door and mumbled against her fist. "In a second."

They turned onto Bella's street and she stopped. Kris fled the car and up three houses. Once her mother opened the door, Bella shifted the car back to drive. "Wanna go to Walmart?"

Gold eyes darted between the clock—a little after one—and to Bella's tired expression. The dead tone she had didn't give any cues about how to make her feel better, and Rosalie wasn't entirely sure what exactly she felt anyway.

She just nodded.

* * *

Bella had relaxed considerably in the ten minutes they'd been strolling along the edges of the store, but she was still reserved. As Bella turned into an aisle and immediately opened a box of eye drops to use them, Rosalie tried, "Jennifer is…interesting."

Bella rubbed her eyes and yawned for the third time since they'd entered. "She's a great friend, even if we argue pretty bad sometimes. I dunno. I think I like being around Leah more because she's more mature and actually wants things. Then I think the preference is more out of my mental health than actual preference. And then I take a nap."

Rosalie watched her chuckle like she'd made a joke. Which reminded her. "Tell me a joke."

Bella pointed a finger at her as they walked. "You're cheating."

"You know how I feel about excuses."

"I hope you know you're driving home."

The word choice made Rosalie's eyebrows knit together. "I thought Forks was home to you."

"Yeah, but you're here."

Rosalie's expression softened even as fear registered in some distant part of her.

Bella, meanwhile, paused in examining the box of a product she'd picked up to look at Rosalie with something like alarm in her eyes. "Sorry. My filter's totally fucking gone."

"Well, you know how I feel about honesty."

After a while, Bella developed a purpose to her steps and took them to the aisle full of candles.

"What kind of scents do you like?"

Rosalie blinked. Watched Bella pick up a "moonlit stream" candle and sniff it before picking up another one. It was such a mundane question, but it felt so…intimate. Like there was so much reason behind it, and the thought was backed by Bella looking at her curiously as she sniffed another candle. And she suddenly couldn't think of a single answer aside from Bella's affinity for lavender being pleasant. Her fingers closed around a candle and she lifted it, trying to process the fact she was about to sniff a candle.

"Personally," Bella started brightly, with a grin that matched, "I prefer _roses_." She whipped out a rose-scented candle from behind her back and wiggled it at Rosalie.

The vampire's lips were moving before she thought about it. "You are obnoxious."

But Bella was unfazed, staring down at the candle in her left hand before setting it down with a hum. "That was wordplay, not a joke. Or does that count?"

Affection lingered in her chest at the way Bella had looked during it. "I'll accept it this time. If only to keep you from trying."

They spent ten minutes in the aisle, Bella holding candle after candle to her to smell and talking about…Rosalie didn't really know what. Just unrelated sentences about smells and burn times and ratios of room sizes to number of candles. Apparently the store brand's candles wax left a horrific texture on your tongue and Rosalie did not inquire about how or why Bella knew that. Then Bella stared down at a white candle and sighed.

"I hate vanilla."

"What?"

"I hate vanilla."

Gold eyes scrutinized her. "You're kidding."

"No." Bella sniffed it and shook her head before holding it out to Rosalie. "It's a mistake. A blight to the senses."

She didn't take it. "You're a mistake."

"You got me there." Bella frowned at the candle like it'd personally burned her books before setting it back down. "Don't tell me you like that abomination."

"There's nothing wrong with it."

"Everything is wrong with it."

"It's a basic scent! It's a safe one. Most people don't feel either way about it and it's one that doesn't elicit a strong reaction from someone. Like, say, cinnamon. It's so widely used. How can you be saying this?"

"I'm just stating facts, okay?"

Rosalie's eyebrows drew together. "Facts? You clearly don't know what a fact is! You are beyond defective. I can't believe this. You—" Her eye twitched as Bella's expression cracked to reveal a grin. "I hate you. Why have you done this to me?"

"I just wanted to see if I could get you to argue about vanilla at two in the morning at a Walmart." Bella laughed and her eyes actually sparkled in a way that made Rosalie simply _feel_. "I had no idea you were so passionate about vanilla."

"You bring specialized pain to my existence."


	25. Without Complexities Or Pride

**A/N:** It's been 84 years but here we are! I appreciate everyone that was still sending thoughts and questions about this story in the 13 months it took for another update. Could I have updated sooner? Yes. But I wouldn't have written the story how it should be, so I am sorry about that wait. Now come check out this gay shit.

(I only halfway edited, I was too excited)

* * *

A long groan and the sounds of bones popping from upstairs had Rosalie's eyes move away to her phone. But only for a second. It was 4:13 and she'd nearly reached the end of this accursed book. So she didn't move from the kitchen table. Just one horrible page after another.

She was fairly certain the author had contradicted one of their core magic rules on four different occasions with no real explanations, but oh well. Garbage was and always would be published.

And that made for five times. Rosalie hated this fucking book.

There was a rush of keys, and then the sound of Bella flying down the stairs before her door even swung shut. Rosalie looked up in time to see Bella skip the last step and readjust the backpack over her shoulder with a wide grin.

"Let's—"

"You've been awake for less than five minutes and your heart is out of control."

Bella grin shifted, but it was no less happy even as her gaze moved with a roll of her eyes before coming back. "Anyway, let's go."

"Perhaps you should sit down."

"Your choice." And then Bella turned on her heel and made for the garage.

Without a single backward glance or pause in her gait or any detectable reservation.

From Rosalie Hale.

The car beeped to welcome her, followed by the sound of it starting just a little afterward.

It took a second of control to keep herself from tearing the handle off the door and she decidedly did not look at Bella's steady grin. The music was turned up and Bella didn't stop bouncing and tapping her fingers. Not even fifteen minutes into the drive.

Phoenix unfolded in front of them with each turn until they were blazing down a freeway.

By the time thirty minutes had gone by, amber eyes had drifted to Bella several times. She was ridiculously upbeat to the point Rosalie half-expected Alice to be bouncing in the backseat. But she wasn't. Bella was just...happy? Or excited?

Did sleeping over twelve hours really cause that?

And did Bella really have to have a reason to be positive?

"Oh, don't huff." Bella started crossing lanes for an upcoming exit. "We're almost there."

"Just don't be disappointed when I don't enjoy the food."

A glance.

For some reason, Rosalie didn't feel like elaborating that she'd only ever seen Bella get so excited over eating a good meal. It already sounded odd enough in her head and just a little rude, as if Bella was a walking misery unless food was involved. Which wasn't remotely true. So she just stared out the window as they took a sad, little turn-off.

Quiet, and barely keeping under the speed limit of a measly 20, Bella said, "I might be a bit hungry now. You jinxed me."

"It's not my fault you forgot to eat."

"Well you guys are pretty good at hassling me so I don't think it's my fault."

Golden eyebrows drew together and her head tilted before she turned the look on Bella. "I'm sorry, are you blaming me for something?"

"Uh, n—no? No." She coughed into her fist and took a turn up a winding road leading toward a park. "I'm blaming the arbitrary concept of time."

Rosalie's eyes almost rolled out her head as she shot her gaze back out her window to watch more and more trees go by. With a sigh, she rubbed her temple. "Please tell me where we're going. Or, actually, tell me a joke. And never say that damned phrase again."

"What? Concept of time?"

"No. _Arbitrary_ concept of time. It gives me horrible flashbacks."

Bella parked and let her hands fall into her lap, a frown on her face. And, for a second, Rosalie thought she was remembering a joke, but, no, that would be too kind of the universe. "Flashbacks?"

"Tell me a joke." Rosalie got out the car. A breeze hit her from deeper in the park and she smelled water. "Don't forget your backpack."

Bella's door closed behind her and she stretched her arms into the air. "Nah, it's guarding the trunk. Let's go."

The path wasn't made of concrete, but instead a mix of gravel and hundreds of footsteps keeping nature from overtaking it. Meanwhile the trees seemed pathetic, tame. They couldn't compete to those of Forks and the fact she was nearly sneering at trees made Rosalie realize she'd entirely lost interest in cities at some point in her life.

God, she missed the shithole known as Forks and she missed Esme's understanding ear.

"Go wait over there."

Rosalie didn't even look where she'd pointed and followed her along the fork in the path. "Excuse me?"

"There." Bella gave her shoulder a push and pointed again toward a wooden bridge that appeared to be going over a trickle of a river. "Go wait over there."

"But civilization is that way."

Bella looked back toward the building down her path before rolling her head on her shoulders to offer a tired look.

And just like that Rosalie Hale was huffing and maybe stomping through grass to get back to a beaten path in a shitty little park doing a poor imitation of a forest. To wait. God, she was actually _kicking rocks_.

She tilted her head back to look at the clouds in the sky that seemed so much thinner than those that she was used to. Was it possible for everything to feel so much tamer than Forks? For even clouds to feel tame? A breeze touched her cautiously—like she might bite—and it held nothing interesting in it.

Rosalie definitely preferred the nights that Phoenix had to offer as opposed to the days.

Kicking rocks turned into her giving the first step of the bridge a light nudge with her foot. It creaked. Her eyes swept over the weathered dip in the center of the few stairs leading to the large, dramatic arc over maybe three inches of water. Six inches if she was being generous.

Sand stirred up and flew past her on a stronger wind and she double-checked she hadn't worn anything that would be ruined by _sand_ and have Alice call her and start fussing. Psychic or not, she had a sixth sense dedicated solely to clothes.

"Ready?" Bella trotted up and jumped onto the first step before pivoting and shooting finger guns. The fact she wasn't breathing any differently than she normally did really showed Leah was doing a good job dragging her around.

"Careful that rickety, misplaced tinder doesn't break."

But Bella just waved a hand and hopped backwards up a step without somehow falling and breaking her leg or something. "Relax. This has been here longer than me."

"It looks like it's been here longer than _me_ ," Rosalie muttered as she followed onto the bridge. Part of the splinter-laden railing snapped off in her hand when Bella laughed, loud and carefree.

The grin on Bella's face was just aggravating as she watched Rosalie drop the wood and kick it off the bridge. "You're so pouty and grumpy, don't ever change."

"Too late." She walked over Bella, making her stumble. "You already affected me."

"Ah, yes. Rosalie Hale, reformed and free of grumpiness. An eternal ray of sunshine."

"I don't pout." She glanced at the human strolling beside her and whistling some song with her hands in her pockets. "You're annoying me today."

"I annoy you every day."

It had been said carelessly, honestly. A simple statement of fact. And it...warmed Rosalie's heart, in a way, that Bella felt it was her personal job and right to be a nuisance. Still, she shook her head. "No, I mean you're annoying me like Alice does. I keep checking if she's around, but it's just you. You, making me want to shut myself in the garage. Go back to sleep."

Instead of toning herself down at all, Bella flashed her yet another grin and pulled her hand from her pocket to loop their arms together. "Smile, Venus."

"Every time I do, your heart rate goes up."

"Wow, okay, you didn't have to call me out like that."

"Whatever, Swan." Her brain was screaming that she was supposed to bend her arm instead of keeping it straight at her side so it was less like Bella had just attached to her against her will. "So what are we doing in my personal hell?"

"I thought your personal hell involved Edward."

 _Bend your arm._

"I try to avoid underestimating you."

Bella released her and stretched her arms above her head, stepping on a particular creaky part of the bridge just before the steps. Her hand almost hit Rosalie's face when she pointed but she ignored the glare thrown her way. "We're going there."

"Into the trees? We could do that at Forks."

"Past the trees, Rosalie. Jesus. Open your eyes."

"Not only are they open and not only are those just trees, Bella, but I see incomprehensibly better than you. Go back to sleep. Right now. I'll carry you back to the car."

"Mm, nope!"

The grin Bella flashed her reminded her of something, but Rosalie didn't have time to place it before Bella took off running.

Her entire body twitched to follow. A twitch, and nothing more, because she saw a couple walking on a path that would join theirs. "Hey!"

"Hey yourself, loser!" Dust swirled in the wind in her wake.

Realistically, Rosalie had no idea what was a believable speed for herself and wasn't used to running or even moving quickly in the view of humans. She'd done it maybe five times in her whole life. People were sprinters, too, right? Right. So she ran faster than Bella had, but it still felt so painfully _slow_ and the fact Bella spun to run backwards and continue with that damn grin before resuming her run along the curving path had a growl building in Rosalie's chest. Somehow, the couple seemed to doubt her commitment and refused to move out the way so she skidded to the side of them to avoid crashing into them. Kicking up a cloud of dirt with a mumbled "excuse me" and continuing on around the bend, she heard Bella take a deep breath. And then Bella deepened her frustration by putting out a burst of speed and disappearing past the trees.

Rosalie quit the path to shave off some of the distance between them and upped her own speed. She glanced around and finally didn't see anyone else. The lake and the docks and little boats didn't even register to her. In the next few seconds she was tackling Bella.

All the air left Bella in a grunt before they touched the ground and it was only then Rosalie fully processed her own actions, so she threw out her hand to stop them. A giant cloud of dust had Bella choking even as she put her hand on Rosalie's shoulder to push herself up. Whipping her hair back out of her face, she gave a _loud_ , final cough before waving her hands in front of herself like it would actually disperse the dust.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm a _vampire_. Are you alright? I—God, I tackled you."

It was only when Bella grinned down at her, a light in her eyes that could rival the sun, that Rosalie noticed Bella was technically straddling her. And Bella was entirely unfazed. Or simply oblivious?

"I might get a bruise or two," Bella turned her arm to look at it, "and maybe a scrape? Or not? But I'm totally fine. You took my breath away but that's normal."

When Bella winked, something just...shifted inside of Rosalie's chest. She stopped resting on her elbows to lie in the dirt under the Phoenix sky and laughed. She felt Bella start laughing before she heard it and as her own amusement subsided, she watched the persistent clouds that refused to let rain fall pass on by to their destination.

"Rosalie?"

Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, she hummed.

But instead of simply answering, Bella leaned down. Her hair brushed across Rosalie's face before she pressed her lips to a cool forehead. Then she pushed herself up and stepped to the side so she could offer her hand with a smile. "You're beautiful."

It was absolutely unnecessary for Bella to help her up, or perhaps more accurate to say it would've been nearly impossible. Rosalie almost told her so. Almost. Another breeze brought the smell of water and Rosalie shut her mouth to grab Bella's hand and let her help.

Bella let go once Rosalie was on her feet and started walking on yet another winding part of the path toward the lake, already talking about how she had first come here with Jennifer and a few other friends.

Rosalie walked at her side with a small furrow between her eyebrows.

At the docks, there was an attendant in a weird, circular booth who looked as if he might quit at any given moment. His nametag was missing from his blue polo. Still, he checked a couple tickets Bella apparently had and handed her back the stubs and wished them a good time before just pointing at a board with rules on it.

A family was already on the lake in a boat they barely fit into while a couple was just making their way out to the center with soft laughter and well-practiced strokes of their oars.

"Did you _rent_ a _boat_?"

Scoffing, Bella hopped off the dock to land in one of the cleaner boats. "No, I bought a plane." She shook her head and muttered something while beginning to set the oars into place. "Your questions have been disappointing lately, Aristotle. You need new material."

Rosalie dropped into the boat with a scowl and decided to take advantage of the way the thing rocked with her sudden weight. Snatching the second oar from Bella, she swiped it through the air once, making Bella duck down and wave her hands in front of herself.

"What's your problem?"

"You!" As Bella glared up at her, still low in the boat to avoid any possible swinging, Rosalie became aware she was pointing an oar at someone and scowling. After having been on this earth for nearly a century, she was threatening someone with an _oar_. Relaxing her stance with a sigh, she said, "You make me sick."

"Well who asked you to be here? Don't! Don't—Just don't, just do not answer that. I don't wanna hear it." Bella yanked the oar back to set it in its slot while mumbling that she set herself up too much. "Sit down."

Rosalie sat.

And Bella rowed them out a bit past the center of the lake, past the family who'd lost a set of their oars from their large boat, past a small swarm of dragonflies. She let go of the oars to stretch and their momentum kept them going at a lazy pace.

Lazy and serene.

That was accurate, Rosalie realized, as Bella stretched yet again and slipped off her bench to kind of lay across a section of the boat. She crossed her legs and leaned against the side, her eyes eventually coming to land on Rosalie.

"What?"

Bella shrugged one of her shoulders and waved away a stray dragonfly. "I don't know. You're staring."

Rosalie bit her tongue to stop herself from saying she wasn't staring. She had absolutely been staring. She'd been staring for the entire ten or so minutes it took for them to get to this part of the lake. Humming, she mimicked Bella to a degree and took up a lazy posture and let her fingertips glide through the water. "That doesn't mean you should stare. It's rude."

"I think you're forgetting that you started it?"

"I did no such thing. Lying is unflattering, Isabella."

"I don't have a mirror to hold up to you."

Rosalie snorted then, a smirk playing about her lips as she turned her face up to the sky. Her head tilted a fraction as she thought about their positions in the boat and its probably unforgiving wood. "Are you comfortable?"

"There is a kink forming in my back and neck as we speak."

"Then why lie like that?"

"Because not all comfort is physical." Bella's hand moved in the edges of her vision before slapping down on the boat. "I'm comfortable, chilling here with you."

"It's nice," Rosalie whispered. Whether or not Bella heard her, she figured the feeling was still understood. She could trust Bella.

Golden eyes stopped tracing over all the clouds that trudged along above them and simply closed. She could hear the simple sounds of Bella being alive and the buzzing of the dragonflies and the gentle swish of water against their boat every now and again. A breeze shifted some of her hair, but she didn't budge. Everything seemed removed from this...moment. This experience. Rosalie wasn't concerned over the family that still created chaos in the distance or whoever else was on the lake. She didn't wonder if that nomad still wanted to hunt her mate and she didn't think about the impossibility of forever and she didn't think about any hurdles in her relationship or her personal growth.

She was just here, in the open. Herself.

Water hit her face and her eyes shot open. Bella could pretend all she wanted, Rosalie knew she wasn't innocent. So she made a show of wiping her face and then slapped her hand through the water to send some Bella's way.

"Hey!" Wiping her own face, Bella made a noise deep in her throat and narrowed her eyes. Two fingers pinched the wet part of her shirt and pulled it away from herself just to hold it there. "You are a nightmare."

"Me? You're an inescapable nightmare and I'm the one asleep."

Bella sat up, mirrored by Rosalie in an instant. "If it's so bad, then why don't you just wake up?"

"What part of 'inescapable' don't you understand?"

Her mouth moved uselessly for a few seconds before she scoffed, already moving past the fact she'd clearly lost that one. "I understand it fine because I can't escape _you_. And I've tried."

"Oh? Then row this boat back and I'll leave."

Bella's eyes rolled and she leaned back against the boat again. "How? You're the one dreaming about me, remember?"

"Nightmaring about you, you mean."

With raised eyebrows, Bella made quotes in the air with her fingers. "Nightmaring? Tsk-tsk, Aristotle, you're off your game."

"I am off my game. Because you're cheap and annoying and I've lost interest."

Hand flying to her chest, Bella gasped and Rosalie wondered if she'd actually hurt her feelings.

For exactly two seconds.

Because then Bella called her a bitch and shot to her knees to splash a large amount of water at her. Not just a little, but a lot. Rosalie was dry one second and dripping water the next. Jaw tight, she stood up with narrowed eyes.

"Rosalie." Bella was waving her hands in front of herself so fast she hit herself, but that didn't stop her. "Rosalie, whatever you're thinking, don't—"

Maintaining eye contact, Rosalie hopped onto the side of the boat and sent it over with her weight while Bella screeched.

Bella surfaced, coughing and holding onto their overturned boat. She slicked her hair back out of her face so she could stare harder at Rosalie. Not glare, but stare.

Rosalie dealt with her own wet hair before sticking her tongue out at Bella without really looking at her. "You're the bitch."

Laughter. Honest laughter. Bella drifted closer until she could lean into Rosalie's space and catch her eye. She was grinning. "Maybe we're both bitches, but I really can't believe you did that."

Amber eyes moved to her and away again, and she shoved on Bella's shoulder before slamming her fist down into the water. "I wanted to strangle you but that wasn't an option, unfortunately."

"Unfortunately," Bella echoed, coming back into her space, that damned grin almost seeming permanent. She really wasn't remotely annoyed. "For now, at least. Then I'll really have to run from you."

"You will. Because I'll want to murder you." She turned her glare on Bella then, but it evaporated in an instant as she took in Bella's proximity. Did she really cause that light in brown eyes?

Maybe it was a culmination of things, maybe it was an attempt at control, maybe it was fear, but Rosalie remained utterly still, not even breathing. Bella's hand settled on her shoulder as she got even closer and stayed there as warm lips touched her cheek. Then Bella was pushing off of her, grin still in place.

They became aware of a loud engine at the same time and looked up at the motorized boat coming up to them. It was the attendant from earlier, finally displaying an actual emotion. His face was red, his lips pressed together in a thin line. "This is like the only rule that matters! I mean, you guys broke at least three, but you flipped the entire boat and that!" He jabbed his finger at a few pieces of wood drifting about twenty feet away, "That is clearly part of the boat you flipped. The boat you broke. Broke! Do you know we don't have lifeguards? Do you know how much that boat cost? I don't know if you actually read the sign because you're both banned now and your card is getting charged."

As he took in another breath to continue, Rosalie caught his eye. "Stop talking. You'll give us a ride back to the docks and charge a different card for the boat."

Blinking, jaw slack, he stood up and came to the side of his boat to hold out his hand to help them up.

* * *

Emmett didn't react to Edward flinching and backing out of his way when he came to the doorway. He was on a mission.

He was on a mission and Esme was trying to be cool, frustrated over a client changing his mind about some theme at the last minute.

But he knew her.

So while she breezed around her office mumbling, he stuck his head in and knocked on the doorway.

She paused and offered a smile. It was tame, controlled. It was the fear of smothering him and making him need more time to himself, it was the fear he would leave again. It was the fear he might not come back next time.

It was fear over the future. He'd have to get Bella's number from Alice and give her a call.

But for now, Emmett just wandered in with an arm behind his back. "Do you have a minute?"

"For you, dear? Always." Esme started setting down some papers on the desk but looked back at him when he told her she could continue. "Are you sure?"

"Well," a grin took over his face and he shrugged his shoulders, "It's going to take a lot of minutes."

She took a few seconds to simply stare at him, the Mom Gears turning in her head. Then she nodded.

As she resumed flipping through notebooks, looking up something on her computer, pulling out different color swatches, and more, Emmett revealed what he'd been hiding and saw her eyes flick to him. But Esme was humoring him and doing her thing just like he wanted. He fell into step with her and reached into his backpack to pull out a rock.

He bustled around the office with her as he talked about where he got each rock and always held it up long enough for her to study it before going back to what she was doing. After each one and however many questions or comments Esme had, he tossed it into an open chest in the corner.

One, he set on her desk next to more of a pebble than a rock he hadn't seen before, and he went on to pause in his show and tell to talk about the smartest polar bear he ever met.

Esme ruffled his hair and forgot about her client for a few minutes.

* * *

Bella tripped over nothing and swung her hand out, knocking things off the dresser. Her other hand slapped over her eyes as she turned her head up, so she was utterly oblivious to Rosalie's unimpressed eyebrow. She pressed up against the dresser just like that and finally found her voice. "Jesus Christ, Rosalie, what the fuck?"

Hand still on her towel, Rosalie rolled her eyes before breezing past her toward the closet. "I had no idea I was so abhorrent."

"I, you—Look, there still better be hot water or I'm killing you." She blindly felt her way to the bathroom, hitting the doorway as she went.

"Good luck."

Bella mumbled a curse at her before the door closed.

Pulling a shirt over her head, Rosalie slowed, jaw tight. There was so much freedom here, so much freedom with Bella, and no expectations other than for her to be herself. However she was. That hadn't changed from the first day.

Something had changed, though. She'd gone from searching for cutting words and trying to start a fight to fearing her words were too sharp and waiting for a fight.

But there hadn't been one yet. Not even when she overreacted or, in far too many cases, underreacted. Realistically she was lucky Bella hadn't gotten upset over her inability to function as a girlfriend.

But even the most patient people ran out of it if you gave them enough time. Rosalie learned that a long time ago, and she had forever to eat through Bella's patience..

"Hey, Rosalie?"

Locking away her turmoil, she drifted to the door. "What?"

"Can you bring me my phone? I forgot it on the bed."

It was maybe an entire minute before Rosalie moved, but she eventually did. She retrieved it and her knuckles hovered before the door. Really, she was the one scoffing at Bella five minutes ago for making a big deal out of nothing and now she was doing the same.

She knocked too hard.

She was staring at a small hole in the wood now.

"Fuck me," she muttered.

"Come in." After Rosalie did, Bella asked from behind the shower curtain, without a single ounce of blame or confusion, "Did you just break my door?"

"No."

There was just the sound of the water. "Okay."

Amber eyes looked at her own foggy reflection. "I see there's still hot water. What do you want with your phone?"

"I seemed to forget to bring it and play music."

"I wonder why."

Some part of Bella hit the tiled wall. "I don't think it's important."

She hummed. Curious, she swiped her thumb across the screen in the order of Alice's password. The phone unlocked. "So how long have you been married to Alice?"

Bella laughed as some rock music filled the air.

Setting the phone on the counter, Rosalie's hand froze on the doorknob when Bella started talking.

"It was nice to see you relax."

"I often relax."

Over the sound of water hitting a plastic bottle, Bella scoffed. "Yeah, okay, Hale. You're so relaxed, all the time, I think you're sleeping half the time."

"Whatever."

"Whatever yourself."

It was in the middle of an eye roll that a thought struck Rosalie. She turned from the door to stare at the curtain like she could see Bella's thoughts. "Were we on a date?"

Hearing herself say it aloud, it sounded _stupid_ , but if it had been? And Rosalie had behaved that way?

Well, then, she'd ruined their very first date with her attitude.

They hadn't even been together a month and she was ruining things.

"Uhm, yeah, Aristotle." Laughter, honest and loud, the type that ended with a smile. "It went well, I think."

Sitting on the counter, Rosalie crossed her legs and swallowed. "You think so?"

"What'd you say?"

She swallowed again and lifted her chin. "You think so?"

There was a lull, then. The end of a song. The endless stream of water. One heart beating harder on one side of the curtain and the other side silent.

"Did you not have fun?"

If Rosalie wasn't a vampire, she wouldn't have heard her. But she was a vampire and she did hear her and words were falling from her mouth before she could think about them or her answer. "I absolutely did."

Bella's heart skipped.

A soft sigh left Rosalie, just for her mood to flip.

"Not to press, but. I mean, I always want you to tell me stuff when you want to and I don't want to tell you stuff until I want to."

"But?" Tongue between her teeth, Rosalie's nails started to dig into the underside of the countertop.

"It makes something Edward said make sense." Bella swallowed. Tapped against the wall over and over. "You just made that guy at the park do what you wanted."

The counter creaked. "Vampires have a bit of a hypnotic effect on humans. You know this."

Bella's tapping sped up, got louder. Harder. "You know I know that. So you know I know that was different. That makes people confused. What you did was different." When Rosalie didn't offer anything, Bella continued, "He wasn't himself."

"No."

That tapping sounded like it hurt. "That's your gift."

"Curse."

As Bella's heart beat fast enough for the both of them, Rosalie let go of the counter to press her palms to her thighs. It wouldn't help to break anything. She did enough of that already. And she had more to break.

"Have you used it on me?"

It was the one question Rosalie dreaded the most. Since they became civil, since they started having conversations as opposed to just speaking around each other, since they became friends. Since she started truly, irrevocably falling. Since Bella said she was willing to put in the effort, to listen, to understand, to be patient.

"Yes."

"And?"

She couldn't fully identify Bella's tone. It was too collected. She wished she could see Bella's eyes. "It didn't work."

"Do you regret that?"

"Not for a single second." She waited. She waited and waited and waited, but Bella didn't say anything else and she held her hand over where her heart would be beating if it could still do such things. "I was afraid it would. Terrified. I've had so many choices taken from me and if I was able to do that to _you_?" Her hand was bouncing against her chest. A false heartbeat. "I wouldn't have been able to live with myself. I didn't want to live my life wondering how much of our relationship—in whatever capacity—was authentic. I didn't want to take away your choices, Isabella, but I had to know if—"

The towel was yanked with such force Rosalie thought the shower rod was going to come down. Out came Bella, looking like a total disaster with a half-wet towel around herself as she slicked her hair back. Her hands slapped down on Rosalie's thighs, creating wet handprints on her jeans all while Rosalie's hand kept hitting her own chest. "Hey. Hey, Rose, it's okay. You're okay. We're okay."

She was blinking away tears that couldn't fall. She finally fisted her shirt to stop moving her hand like that and her fingers twitched. Hurting Bella in a blind search for comfort would haunt her until she died. But Bella _trusted_ her, _always_ , and reached for her. Rosalie didn't move. She just let Bella's fingers gently lace with hers and felt her fingertips brushing over her knuckles.

"Isabella." It was a sob, and her free hand flew to her mouth to stifle the sound.

 _Weakness._

Hair just dripping water like rain, Bella ran her thumb over Rosalie's thigh, lips moving and moving, but not managing to form words. Finally, she swallowed. Her eyes never left Rosalie's. "You're— _Jesus, Rosalie_ —Rose. Rose, you are my choice. And you don't have to worry about whether or not it's my choice because I hit my head so many fucking times vampires can't do shit to me except beat me up, apparently."

"You're so defective," Rosalie whispered into her hand.

It made Bella grin. "Your defective ruffian."

Rosalie's hands moved so fast that Bella jumped, but she didn't worry about it, she just held Bella's face and leaned down to kiss her. It was hard, some desperate attempt to convey too many feelings. Whether it was five seconds or ten seconds or a million years, she finally sighed against Bella's lips and let her forehead rest against Bella's. She didn't let Bella lean back.

"Rose." Warm hands covered hers. "You're not like him. You're just you. You're just Rose."

"Your Rose?" she murmured.

Bella sucked in air like she'd been hit. "Yes."

"Say it."

"You're my Rose."


End file.
